Matt Henry, Glenn Phillips out of third Test against England

New Zealand have suffered a double blow for the third Test against England at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, starting on June 25, as Matt Henry and Glenn Phillips have been ruled out due to injuries. While the pacer, who picked 11 wickets in the Oval Test victory, is out with a calf injury, the centurion from that same win has been laid low by a side strain.

A New Zealand Cricket statement revealed that Henry felt pain during the Oval Test and subsequent scans on his left calf showed a low-grade muscle strain. "Initial assessment suggests a recovery time of two to four weeks," the statement added. Earlier this week, Henry moved to the top of the ICC Test bowling rankings, the first New Zealand bowler to do so in 36 years.

New Zealand will feel pinched by this double absence as they head into the Trent Bridge game with the chance to win a Test series in England. After being outplayed in the series opener, New Zealand bounced back well as England grappled with off-field issues that put captain Ben Stokes and pacer Gus Atkinson out of the XI. While New Zealand find themselves weakened by the fresh injuries now, England are strengthened by the return of Stokes and Atkinson.

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