Black Caps captain Kane Williamson signs autographs at the Bay Oval. Photo / Photosport
Black Caps captain Kane Williamson signs autographs at the Bay Oval. Photo / Photosport
For cricket diehards, the wait is finally over.
Today marks the start of the historic Boxing Day test between the Black Caps and Pakistan at Mount Maunganui's Bay Oval.
Hosting a Boxing Day international test match is a feather in the cap of any cricketing ground and securing this oneis a testament to the forward-thinking efforts and passion of the team at the Bay Oval, who only hosted their first international test last year.
This test will be followed by another against Pakistan, in Christchurch. If the Black Caps can secure a 2-0 win in the series will keep them in the hunt for a World Test Championship final at Lord's in June, a quest that has gained impetus with India's heavy defeat in their first test against Australia.
Since they lost to South Africa in Wellington in March 2017, the Black Caps test team have been on a roll at home. In the 15 matches since, they have won 11 and drawn four.
Included in the tallies are traditional heavyweights England and India, so it hasn't all been bullying minnows. Pakistan are, like New Zealand, considered to somewhere on the scale between a giant and a minnow.
Most recently, the Black Caps trounced the West Indies in a two-match test series, winning both by an innings.
The Pitch
A crucial component in any test match is the pitch - and the centrepiece at the Bay Oval has been lovingly and carefully crafted for the occasion.
Bay Oval turf manager Jared Carter said hosting major events like this was something he and his team were passionate about.
"We're very excited," he said.
"The Boxing Day test is obviously a pretty big deal for us. To have the first international test last year and then the Boxing Day test, that's the pinnacle so we're very pumped."
Bay Oval turf manager Jared Carter and his team are looking forward to hosting the Boxing Day test. Photo / File
Carter said all the hard work was worth it when he could watch the grass banks at the Bay Oval filled with cricket fans watching a quality contest.
"That's basically what it's all about, it's one of the main drivers of doing this. You want the crowds to turn up, you want to see everyone pumped, excited and watching a great game of cricket.
"It's a pretty good atmosphere here, I think it's the best ground in the country, the crowds are really good here. They always turn up, that's the main thing."
He said the aim with the pitch for the Boxing Day test was the same as any other: to create the best surface possible for a competitive and entertaining game.
"We aim to have the best pitch possible. We always try to achieve as much pace and bounce as we can get in the conditions we have around us at the time."
The Black Caps bowling attack has been on fire of late and Carter said it was a privilege to be able to prepare a pitch for the likes of Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner to steam in to.
"Definitely, that's why you do it. One, to entertain the crowd and two, to try and produce the best we can to allow those guys to play their best."
Black Caps bowler Trent Boult celebrates after picking up the wicket of England's Jofra Archer in a test match at the Bay Oval. Photo / File
The weather
It won't matter how good the pitch is if the weather gods don't play ball. Fortunately, the forecast looks mostly favourable for five days of leather-on-willow action.
The forecast (Supplied by MetService meteorologist Lewis Ferris): Saturday, December 26: Nothing to worry about. 25C, southwesterly winds, looking sunny in the afternoon.
Sunday, December 27: Fine to start but looks like a couple of showers in the afternoon. Southwesterlies, 22C.
Monday, December 28: Back to a mainly fine day. Southwesterly winds easing off, 22C.
Tuesday, December 29: Fine weather looks to hold. Afternoon sea breezes (northeasterlies), 24C.
Wednesday, December 30: There's a decent signal for wet weather with a frontal system moving in from the southwest. However, there's an offside chance it doesn't make it in time or it weakens away, one to watch. Light winds, 24C.
A bumper crowd is expected at the Boxing Day test between New Zealand and Pakistan. Photo / File
The squads
The only real question mark in the Black Caps test squad was around the spinner, but coach Gary Stead opted to stick with Mitch Santner, despite Ajaz Patel being fit enough to play.
He said the decision came down to the balance of the side and with the four-strong pace attack going so nicely he wanted to have a spinning all-rounder as an option for the No 7 position.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's all-format captain Babar Azam and opening batsman Imam-ul-Haq have been ruled out of the first test with thumb injuries.
Azam is ranked the fifth-best batsman in the test format.
Both batsmen fractured their thumbs during a training session last week and have yet to return. The Pakistan Cricket Board said in a statement that the team's medical staff are closely monitoring the progress of both players.
NZ squad: Kane Williamson (captain), Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling, Will Young.
Pakistan squad: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Imran Butt, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan and Yasir Shah.
