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Sport Nation
FWC on Sport Nation guideNicholls in as Henry ticks boxes to retain spot
Alex Chapman • June 17th, 2026 10:20 am
Henry Nicholls | Photo: Photosport
Barring dodgy catering, a London summer chill, or a late injury scare, there will be just one change to the Blackcaps side for the second Test against England at The Oval.
Henry Nicholls has been confirmed as a straight swap for Kane Williamson, whose retirement bombshell last Friday stunned many.
“Part of that success along the way has been consistency and that's important for us to maintain that.” Blackcaps coach Rob Walter told Sport Nation Mornings.
"Henry's sort of bashed down the door really to be that batter in waiting and a probably unsuspecting opportunity presented itself so there's no doubt he's itching and raring to go.”
New Zealand have recalled Henry Nicholls in place of Kane Williamson for the Oval Test | Photo: AP
Nicholls scored an unbeaten 150 in his last Test innings for New Zealand against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in August and dominated the domestic scene last season.
The Canterbury veteran racked up 793 runs at an average of 99, with four centuries and a high score of 226 during Canterbury’s successful Plunket Shield campaign, and won the Redpath Cup at the NZ Cricket awards.
The inclusion of Nicholls will be the only change to the Blackcaps XI, with Walter confirming that fast bowler Matt Henry has got through the necessary steps after suffering back spasms during the first Test at Lord’s.
Henry bowled just four overs in the first innings, before completing 11 in the second, taking 1/34.
Walter revealed there was little temptation to make more changes to the side, given the flat nature that has been seen at the Oval so far this season.
In the seven County Championship matches and 23 innings - of which one was 15/2 - 8485 runs have been scored.
"There's no stats or past history to suggest that spin does play a big role at the Oval.” Walter explained.
Kane Williamson reflects on his 16-year career | Sport Nation
“The pitch at this stage looks like it might be, again, a four-seam wicket, so we've gone with that same grouping as we had for the last Test. So nothing changes there.
“We don't foresee the weather being too hot or too different over the next five days. And if it was to spin a little bit then we do obviously have Glenn and Rachin who can fulfil those roles in a part nature.”
Walter conceded that like much of the cricket world, the team was taken by surprise at Williamson’s decision to retire after the first Test loss at Lord’s.
“But in many ways, it's probably been a good thing that we've all been here together and Kane has been here as well. So we've had various get-togethers with him there and probably the team has had opportunities to just sort of process it that way, spend time with each other and also with him.
“It really sort of feels like, of course, we're losing him from the team, but his presence is still there, if that makes sense. And I think that's a shine of great leadership is you don't take leadership with you, you leave it behind. And there's no doubt that there's a real sense of that.”
Williamson was also on hand to present the team their caps as part of the traditional pre-match ceremony they hold before every Test.
“He jokingly said he'd always dreamt of handing out the caps one day, he didn't think it would be three days after his retirement.” Walter joked.
“But it just seemed really fitting for him to do it, and it was awesome. Just the connection again with him and the group, and the stories of where it sorted of changed for him in terms of how he viewed the game and how that has obviously seeped into the structure of the team as well.”
“But in true Kane fashion, he doesn’t want it to be about him, and he doesn’t want the distraction to be there. So I think he feels like he's sort of contributed in whichever way he can to this Test and probably wants to just be on the sidelines now and not to detract from the Test itself.”
England meanwhile have been forced into making five changes, with James Rew the latest named to debut, after wicketkeeper Jamie Smith’s second child was born on Tuesday.
Rew, batter Jordon Cox and pace bowler Sonny Baker will all receive their caps, while Jofra Archer and Matt Fisher have also been named.
Listen to the full interview:
