New Zealand head coach Gary Stead admitted that it was frustrating that rain has hampered his team’s practice in Southampton, but said that’s doesn’t mean they are “miles behind or anything like that” ahead of the two-match Test series against England.
The coach has mentioned that New Zealand has already done some quality sessions back home that put the touring side in a great position ahead of the Test series against England starting on June 2 at Lord’s.
The Black Caps have not been able to train outdoors in a proper manner due to England's wettest May-s since arriving in Southampton for the Test series and ICC World Test Championship final against India with the UK at its 10th wettest May since the records began in 1862.
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As reported by stuff.co.nz, Stead said: “I guess when you come to an English summer you still expect to get outside occasionally. It's been a little bit frustrating because you come over and guys just want to get a feel for the different conditions here.”
He added, “We've been lucky with the buildup we had in New Zealand. We trained on grass wickets; we had two camps as well. So it's not like we're miles behind or anything like that.”
On the challenges of carrying a bigger squad, Stead noted: “It's just a little bit different when you've got a bigger squad and stuff as well, with 20-odd players here, to manage their expectations when you're indoors is a little bit more difficult. But something that I guess we try and pride ourselves on is our ability to just roll with the punches and keep adapting to what's in front of us.”
The Kiwi coach also revealed that experienced pacer Trent Boult will be departing for England on June 3 and will join the national side ahead of the second and final Test against England starting on June 10 in Birmingham followed by the WTC final against India from June 18 in Southampton.
Stead signed off by saying, “Trent's looking to leave New Zealand on the third of June, which is the second day of the Test match at Lord's. So he will come into London and join up with the team somewhere around the time that we're heading up to Birmingham.”
