THE SECOND and final Trans-Tasman Test is set to get underway in Christchurch on Friday morning, with Australia looking to make it a series sweep. Hagley Oval plays host to the closing match of the international summer, which holds World Test Championship ramifications and a historic rivalry.

NEED TO KNOW

WHO: New Zealand vs. Australia
WHEN: March 8-12, 9:00am AEDT
WHERE: Hagley Oval, Christchurch
HOW TO WATCH: Fox Cricket, Kayo

SERIES STATUS

Australia leads 1-0.

Australia has already retained the Trans-Tasman Trophy after winning the first Test by 172 runs in Wellington. The tourists need only a draw here to claim the outright series victory, though 2-0 has a better ring to it. A loss would result in a 1-1 series tie with Australia still holding the trophy aloft.

In the way of World Test Championship implications, current ladder leader India will soon take on England in the fifth Test of their series. New Zealand was knocked off top spot after losing to Australia, and the latter would leapfrog the Kiwis into second with another victory in Christchurch.

SQUADS

NEW ZEALAND: Tim Southee (c), Tom Blundell (wk), Matt Henry, Scott Kuggeleijn, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ben Sears, Kane Williamson, Will Young

AUSTRALIA: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc

TEAM NEWS

Steady as ever, Australia has already confirmed it will take in an unchanged XI to the Christchurch Test. It means bowling quartet Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon will play their seventh-consecutive Test together – a new record between them.

There have been rumblings about the potential fragility of Australia’s batting order, which hinged massively on new number four Cameron Green last time out. Opener Steve Smith is out of sorts, as is first drop Marnus Labuschagne, but both have rightly been backed.

The only real question mark facing Australia surrounds whether unused squad member Scott Boland will be released in order to compete in the Sheffield Shield. Boland’s Victoria is set to play off against Western Australia for a spot in this season’s final, starting on Monday.

Meanwhile, New Zealand has been forced into at least one change and is pondering another. Injured young quick Will O’Rourke (hamstring) makes way for 26-year-old debutant Ben Sears, who featured in the Trans-Tasman T20 series earlier this year.

The Kiwis may also look to include spinner Mitchell Santner after he was overlooked in Wellington, with Scott Kuggeleijn the likely man to make way. Neil Wagner has been removed from the squad after retiring before the first Test, while Devon Conway (thumb) requires surgery.

LIKELY NEW ZEALAND XI: Tom Latham, Will Young, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell (wk), Glenn Phillips, Mitch Santner, Matt Henry, Tim Southee (c), Ben Sears

LIKELY AUSTRALIA XI: Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

PLAYERS TO WATCH

NEW ZEALAND: Kane Williamson

Captain Obvious alert. Williamson is one of two New Zealand greats set to play their 100th Test in Christchurch, with the other being skipper Tim Southee. The former captain was at the forefront of a disastrous runout which proved emblematic of New Zealand’s loss in Wellington, but will be keen to rectify that. Expect him to do much better than digs of zero and nine here.

AUSTRALIA: Nathan Lyon

While Green took out Player of the Match honours at Basin Reserve, Lyon certainly had claims for it having nabbed 10 wickets and scored an impressive 41 runs as nightwatchman in Australia’s second innings. With the Kiwis not selecting a frontline spinner in Wellington, and potentially going without one here, Lyon could again prove the difference between the two sides.

PREDICTION

Hagley Oval is largely a bowl-first venue, with 92 per cent of teams opting to do so across 12 Tests. New Zealand has won nine of those matches (two losses, one draw), with one of its two defeats coming at the hands of Australia.

The Kiwis will likely fare better than in Wellington, paying homage to Southee and Williamson’s combined milestones. They have also not lost back-to-back Tests since 2022. Perhaps a rare win over the Aussies is in store here.