England's bowlers have plenty to ponder ahead of the first test after a New Zealand XI chased down a steep target for a three-wicket win in the tourists' only warm-up match in Queensland on Saturday.
Kohli congratulated Watling as both India and New Zealand stepped out to the field on the Reserve Day of the ongoing WTC final
Skipper Williamson cleared to play; spinner Patel included in 15-man squad
New Zealand, who made 249 in the first innings, were undone by the Sri Lankan spinners in their second spell as well.
BJ Watling will be retiring from international cricket after the tour of England.
Brendon McCullum was on 281, his highest Test score and the second highest by a New Zealander, at the close of play on Day 4 after having shared a world record stand of 352 runs for the sixth wicket with wicketkeeper BJ Watling who made 124.
New Zealand highlighted the gulf in international cricket when they bowled Zimbabwe out twice on Saturday to win the only Test match of their tour at McLean Park in Napier by an innings and 301 runs.
BJ Watling scored the first Test century on Bay Oval as New Zealand established a 41-run lead against England on Saturday, reaching 394-6 at the close of the third day of the first Test in Mt. Maunganui.
BJ Watling scored a fine century as New Zealand dominated the final session with steely resolve to reach 338 for six on the third day of the second Test against England on Sunday.
Watling, who was initially a top-order batsman and part-time wicketkeeper when he first made the New Zealand side in 2009, moved one behind Adam Parore's national record as the hosts bowled Bangladesh out for 234 early in the final session.
After a long time in the series the hosts has a little to worry about. New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman BJ Watling admitted that a long, hard battle lies ahead of their batsmen in the second Test against India after the visitors took a formidable 246-run first innings lead, riding on Ajinkya Rahane's maiden Test ton in Wellington on Saturday.
The chances of a fightback look bleak with New Zealand already conceding a 215-run lead to India but wicket-keeper BJ Watling on Saturday hoped that the visiting team's fighting spirit would inspire them to challenge the home side. New Zealand collapsed to 262 all out after resuming the day at a comfortable 152 for one and then India extended their lead to 215, ending the day at a commanding 159 for one. New Zealand now have a tough task at hand as they not only have to restrict India as early as possible on Sunday but also bat in the fourth innings on a not-so-friendly pitch.
Mayank Agarwal scored his fourth Test half-century as India inched to 78-2 at tea on the third day of Trent Boult followed up his counter-attacking cameo innings of 38 to take three wickets, including that of Virat Kohli, to put New Zealand on top against India at the end of the third day of the first test on Sunday. Trent Boult followed up his counter-attacking cameo innings of 38 to take three wickets, including that of Virat Kohli, to put New Zealand on top against India at the end of the third day of the first test on Sunday. The visitors, who had not lost any of their seven previous International Cricket Council World Test Championship matches, were 144-4 at the close of play at the Basin Reserve, still 39 runs behind and staring at their potential first defeat.
New Zealand, on Monday, recalled temperamental all-rounder Corey Anderson for the five-match ODI series against India next month and he will play as a specialist batsman.
Captain Brendon McCullum is unlikely to pull on the wicketkeeping gloves again for New Zealand, coach Mike Hesson said on Saturday. The 32-year-old is battling a long-term back injury and has already given up the gruelling role in test matches, with BJ Watling taking the gloves in the longest form of the game.
The Indian-born 29-year-old, New Zealand's top domestic wicket-taker in the past three seasons, replaces all-rounder Mitchell Santner who is still recovering from knee surgery.
Azhar, who finished the day unbeaten on 62 off 169 balls, helped Pakistan recover from the loss of two early wickets to trail New Zealand by 135 runs with seven wickets remaining.
Captain Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor combined to put New Zealand in a strong position in the first Test before India struck back late on Saturday to remove both just as their partnership threatened to take the match away from the tourists. Images from Day 2 of the first Test between New Zealand and India in Wellington on Saturday.
Bangladesh all-rounder Sohag Gazi became the first cricketer to score a century and record a hat-trick in the same Test on Sunday but could not prevent the first Test against New Zealand ending in a draw in Chittagong.
Off-spinner Mark Craig captured the best figures by a New Zealand bowler on debut as the visitors beat West Indies by 186 runs late on the fourth day of the first Test at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica.
Former New Zealand spinner John Bracewell believes charismatic batter Devon Conway has caught the 'Kane Williamson bug' to keep learning from past mistakes and making rapid improvements.
Kane Williamson scored his fifth century in eight Tests in 2015 to guide New Zealand to a five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka before lunch on the fourth day of the second Test at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Monday.
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Martin Guptill has been recalled to the New Zealand Test squad for the two-match tour of England after the top-order batsman finished top scorer at the recent 50-over cricket World Cup.
Pakistan were 30-1 at stumps on Day 2, still 401 runs behind New Zealand's 431 in the first innings.
Tim Southee's prophecy before the start of the first Test against Sri Lanka came true on the opening day of the match as he took his eighth five-wicket haul at the Basin Reserve on Saturday.
Corey Anderson smashed his first Test century as New Zealand reached 419 for eight against Bangladesh to take a first innings lead of 137 on the third day of the second and final Test in Dhaka on Wednesday.
'A lot of our recent success has been based on the value of our number six batsman bowling some overs and we're comfortable continuing in that vein'
Pakistan were dismissed for 271, chasing a victory target of 372, with 4.3 overs remaining in the Test at Bay Oval.
The visitors were 66 for three in their second innings at the end of the fourth day's play, with an overall lead of 122 runs.
Joe Root ended a poor run of form when he scored his 17th Test century and led England to 269-5 before rain ended play early on the third day of the second Test against New Zealand, at Seddon Park in Hamilton, on Sunday.
Mitchell Santner scored his maiden Test century and then grabbed three quick wickets to reduce England to 55-3 at the close of play on the fourth day of the first Test at Bay Oval on Sunday.
Resuming on their overnight total of 207-4, Pakistan ground down the Kiwi attack, with Sohail scoring 147 and Azam 127 not out before they declared their first innings on 418-5.
Unbeaten in seven Test series since 2013, New Zealand are widely viewed to have their best chance in a good while to secure a second series victory on Australian soil to go with the Richard Hadlee-inspired 1985 triumph.
New Zealand named uncapped wicketkeeper Reece Young in their 13-man squad for the home Test series against Pakistan. Gareth Hopkins makes way for Young after failing to impress on the Black Caps' recent tour of India.
Opener Tamim Iqbal survived two dropped catches to hit an entertaining 95 as Bangladesh reached 228 for five wickets before rain stopped play after tea on the opening day of the second and final Test against New Zealand.
Apart from Kohli, four other Indians who were picked in the ICC's Test and ODI Teams of the Year.
Marlon Samuels was 50 not out, while Narsingh Deonarine was on 11, chasing New Zealand's 441, at stumps after rain delayed the start of play by 75 minutes and then washed out the entire middle session.
Tim Southee rescued New Zealand with the bat then dragged his side back into the match
Kane Williamson was looming as the difference between a comfortable Australian win in the second Test against New Zealand and a match situation that could tip the scales either way, according to both sides.
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