Devon Conway, the opener for New Zealand, will not play in the third and final Test match against England, which is scheduled to start on December 14 at Hamilton’s Seddon Park. The 33-year-old has stayed in Wellington, where New Zealand lost the second Test by a humiliating 323 runs, while he awaits the birth of his first child.
Mark Chapman was chosen by the selectors to replace Conway, and head coach Gary Stead confirmed the situation. Speaking on the subject, Stead stated that Chapman was included in the team for the India tour and was chosen for the final Test because of his recent 276-run performance in Plunket Shield.
When asked about Devon Conway, Stead was quoted as stating,
“In this setting, family comes first, and we’re all really excited for Dev and his wife Kim to welcome their first child.”
He clarified Chapman’s selection by saying, “Mark (Chapman) was with the Test squad in India recently and returned to the Plunket Shield by scoring an impressive 276 – so it’s a good time for him to be joining us.”
Conway’s absence will allow Will Young, who excelled in the three-match series against India, to take his place. His 244 runs at an average of 48.40 earned him the title of Player of the Series. However, Kane Williamson’s recovery from a hamstring injury meant that the 32-year-old was left out of the starting lineup for the England series.
In contrast, New Zealand has had a difficult 2024 in terms of Test cricket. Before executing a heist in India, they suffered consecutive series losses against Australia and Sri Lanka. That was supposed to boost the team’s morale, but they failed once more against England, who jumped out to an insurmountable 2-0 lead.
In addition to Young, Mitchell Santner’s potential return to the starting lineup has also been alluded to by New Zealand. Like Young, he was outstanding in the series against India, but in the England series, the squad management was unable to accommodate the left-arm spinner.
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