Gary Stead: Black Caps qualify for the World Test Championship final

Published: Feb. 2, 2021, 10:12 p.m.

The Black Caps can thank Australian captain Tim Paine for the fact they are the first side to qualify for the World Test Championship final in England later this year.
New Zealand have booked a spot in the inaugural test final following the cancellation of Australia's planned test series in South Africa.
The number one ranked team will face either India, England or Australia in the decider.
Australia needed a successful series in South Africa to jump ahead of the Black Caps and will be ruing a slow over-rate penalty which could prove costly.
Australia were docked four points in the ICC World Test Championship because of a slow over-rate in their second test defeat to India at the MCG.
Without the penalty they would be sitting ahead of the Black Caps. To make it sting even more the penalty was handed down by an Australian batting great David Boon who was the match referee David Boon for the Boxing Day test.
Boon ruled Paine's side were two overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration. Teams are penalised two points for each over short.
Who could New Zealand play?
The four-test series between India-England starting Friday in Chennai will decide the Black Caps' opponent.
For England to qualify, they have to win the series against India by a 3-1, 3-0 or 4-0 margin.
Australia would make it if the series is drawn nil-all - India are through otherwise.
New Zealand won't go into the final cold. Last week it was announced they will play two tests against England at the start of June which happen to be scheduled in the two weeks leading up to the World Test Championship final, giving them vital preparation in local conditions.
'Absolutely delighted'
Coach Gary Stead told Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking the Black Caps were desperate to be the first name on the new trophy.
"I'm absolutely delighted (to be in the final)," he said.
"It's a pretty special feeling. I just can't wait to get in there and be part of it.
"(the result will come down to) who wins key moments and I know we've got enough matchwinners in our squad to make it happen."
As to their opponents, Stead said he was not banking on it being India just yet.
England must beat India, in India, by a big margin, an unlikely prospect. Australia can also make the final if the India-England result falls their way.
"You never know – some pretty strange things are going on," Stead said.
"Who would have predicted India would beat Australia the way they did."
He said "only time will tell" how Covid-19 might impact the match venue.
Lords in London was the scheduled venue, but it now seems likely it could be held at another ground in England.
New Zealand are currently unbeaten in an unprecedented 17 tests at home - they are also on a record streak of six consecutive test wins.
Reaching the final continues a remarkable run for the Black Caps across cricket's three formats since breaking their semifinal duck in 2015 to reach the Cricket World Cup final.
They were defeated by co-hosts Australia at the MCG in the final.
Four years later, New Zealand reached the Cricket World Cup final for a second straight time only to be denied in a Super Over defeat to hosts England, with the final decided on boundary countback.
In the test arena the turnaround has been remarkable.
In 2013, New Zealand were rolled for just 45, their third lowest total, in 19.2 overs, against South Africa in Cape Town. Only Williamson made double figures as New Zealand hit rock bottom.
At the time, the Black Caps slipped to eighth in the world test rankings - their worst ever ranking.
Following their clean sweep of West Indies and Pakistan this summer, the side reached the pinnacle of test cricket's world rankings for the first time.
New Zealand are unbeaten on home soil over the past three years; their last loss coming in March 2017 against South Africa in Wellington.
Since Williamson took over as captain from Brendon McCullum, who led the 2015 World Cup run, the Black Caps have won 21 of 35...