Boult set to miss second Test against SA
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New Zealand's Phillips out of IPL with injury
12 Apr 25
Trent Boult will not play in this week's second Test against South Africa at the Hagley Oval, as New Zealand is unwilling to risk an injury to the fast bowler who has not had enough training time to handle the workload of a Test match.
Boult was unable to participate in New Zealand's smashing victory in the first Test because he and his wife were expecting their third child.
While the 32-year-old will train with the squad ahead of this week's Test, he won't play for New Zealand again until June, when the team travels to England, with New Zealand Cricket expecting to allow IPL-bound players to miss the series against the Netherlands.
"Trent Boult isn't in a position to be available for this Test match with his loads and where he's at, at the moment. Since [he was on paternity leave] as well he's missed out on a lot of opportunities to play cricket and bowl. We just felt the risk of him playing was far too great at the moment to do that to him," Stead said on Monday (February 21).
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Because of Boult's absence in the first Test, Matt Henry was able to earn a spot in the XI, which he took advantage of by taking a seven-fer in the first innings, setting the tone for New Zealand's overwhelming victory by an innings and 276 runs, which was only their fifth against South Africa.
"He's always been a good bowler and sometimes you need that opportunity to strike and make the most of it and he certainly made the most of the opportunity that was in front of him," Stead said about Henry.
