Kane Williamson will miss the second Test after testing positive for Covid

• Kane Williamson will miss a second LV= Insurance Test against England
• Hamish Rutherford to join squad in Nottingham on Friday morning.
• Colin de Grandhomme has been ruled out of the rest of New Zealand’s series with a heel injury.

Kane Williamson will miss a second LV= Insurance Test against England, which starts on Friday at Trent Bridge, after testing positive for Covid-19 on the eve of the match.

Kane Williamson, New Zealand’s captain, having undergone a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) on Thursday after experiencing minor symptoms, and will now spend five days in isolation.

Due to his absence, Tom Latham will captain the team, while Hamish Rutherford, who is currently playing county cricket for Leicestershire, has been drafted in by New Zealand and will join the squad in Nottingham on Friday morning.

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“It’s such a pity Kane was forced to withdraw on the eve of such an important game,” New Zealand head coach Gary Stead said.

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Latham started taking over as captain for all four Tests of New Zealand’s home summer against Bangladesh and South Africa, as well as the second Test of their November tour of India, with Williamson limited to 20-minute nets sessions to manage his recovery.

Following Colin de Grandhomme’s heel injury, which has ruled him out of the rest of the series, New Zealand were already facing a selection conundrum for the second Test. Nicholls is expected to be ready for selection after his recovery from a calf injury was hampered by his own Covid diagnosis, and will likely slot back into the middle order.