NZ recall Henry Nicholls for No.3 spot in Oval Test

New Zealand have recalled experienced batsman Henry Nicholls to bat at number three for the second Test against England, following the abrupt retirement of former captain Kane Williamson. Captain Tom Latham confirmed the selection on Tuesday, June 16, one day before the match begins at The Oval in London.

The move comes after England took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series with a 115-run victory inside four days at Lord's. Williamson, New Zealand's all-time highest run-scorer with over 19,000 international runs, announced his retirement from all international cricket last Friday, midway through the series.

Nicholls, 34, last played a Test in August 2025 against Zimbabwe, where he scored an unbeaten 150. He has 58 Test caps and 10 centuries, but had been out of the side for nearly two years prior to that tour. Latham said the recall was a direct reward for Nicholls' dominant form in New Zealand's domestic Plunket Shield, where he was the leading run-scorer this season with 870 runs at an average of 96.66 for Canterbury, primarily batting at number three or four.

"Hes someone that has a lot of international experience," Latham said. "Hes been out of the squad for a couple of...