LEACH MAKES HIS DEBUT AS ENGLAND GAMBLE

ENGLAND gave Jack Leach a Test debut last night as they gambled on a four-man attack for their must-win second and final Test against New Zealand. The Somerset left-arm spinner only arrived here on the eve of the first Test as a replacement for the injured Mason Crane and now has a golden opportunity to prove his worth, with England in the market for a top-class slow bowler. England had already dropped Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes from their 12 and left out Craig Overton last night as they sought a formula to take those elusive 20 wickets to win an away Test. There was also an opportunity for Mark Wood to bring some much needed pace to the attack. James Vince returned to the side at No 3 but Ben Stokes was again unlikely to bowl as he continues to struggle with back soreness. New Zealand won the toss and, as they did so successfully in Auckland, elected to bowl on a Hagley Park wicket that has a reputation as a very good batting pitch in its four Tests so far. They lost Todd Astle to a side injury and replaced him with fellow leg-spinner Ish Sodhi. Meanwhile Joe Root believes the Australian cheating scandal and the worldwide reaction to it will act as a wake-up call to the whole game but is adamant England play in the right way. The England captain had little sympathy for the plights of Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft when he was asked about the extraordinary affair on the eve of the second Test here but was keen to highlight the bigger picture. ‘Cricket Australia have made a decision that is a statement to world cricket,’ said Root (right) of the year-long bans for Smith and Warner and the nine-month suspension of Bancroft after the Cape Town balltampering saga that has rocked cricket. ‘It just shows that everyone watching the game and anyone who supports cricket that they are demonstrating how they want to see the game played. In terms of the bans that was a decision Cricket Australia had to make. But, the point is, they’ve put a marker out there not just for Australia but for world cricket and that’s a strong message for everyone.’