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KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Matt Henry and Glenn Phillips, New Zealand's heroes at The Oval, miss the Trent Bridge against England decider through injury.
  • Henry has a calf strain expected to take two to four weeks to heal, while Phillips has a side strain.
  • New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat, with Mitchell Santner, Blair Tickner and Ben Sears coming in.

Matt Henry and Glenn Phillips are not playing in the ENG vs NZ 3rd Test at Trent Bridge

New Zealand's preparations for the series decider against England at Trent Bridge were rocked just minutes before the toss, with the news that Oval heroes Matt Henry and Glenn Phillips would both miss the match through injury. The two players were central to the Black Caps' commanding 253-run win that levelled the series at 1-1.

Henry was the standout performer at The Oval, claiming a maiden ten-wicket Test haul with figures of 11 wickets in the match to earn the Player of the Match award.

Phillips, meanwhile, scored his maiden Test century in New Zealand's first innings, making their absences at Trent Bridge a significant double blow for Tom Latham's side.

Both injuries were sustained during the second Test, only emerging in the days that followed as the players were assessed.

Remarkably, Henry had shrugged off the discomfort to complete his match-winning spell, with the full extent of the problem confirmed only after subsequent scans.

MORE: England vs New Zealand, 3rd Test LIVE: Updates, latest score, toss and win chances

Why Matt Henry is missing the Trent Bridge Test

Henry, who had climbed to No. 1 in the ICC's Test bowling rankings on the back of his Oval heroics, was ruled out with a calf injury.

New Zealand Cricket confirmed the seamer had felt pain during the second Test, with scans revealing the underlying issue.

"Matt Henry will miss the third test against England at Trent Bridge due to a calf injury. Henry felt pain during the second Test at The Oval, and subsequent scans on his left calf revealed a low-grade muscle strain. Initial assessment suggests a recovery time of two to four weeks," the NZC statement read.

🚨 JUST IN 🚨

Matt Henry, Glenn Phillips to miss Trent Bridge Test.

Henry has a calf injury, while Phillips is suffering from a side strain.#ENGvsNZ pic.twitter.com/YD3THs3cvb— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) June 25, 2026

Captain Tom Latham acknowledged the scale of the loss after winning the toss, pointing to the multiple dimensions Henry brings to the New Zealand attack beyond his wicket-taking ability. "We'll miss his experience but also his skill and workload," Latham said at the toss.

MORE: Four-time FIFA World Cup champions Germany emerge as potential host for future ICC events

Why is Glenn Phillips sidelined for the 3rd Test?

Phillips, who had enjoyed a memorable match with the bat at The Oval, was ruled out with a side strain. NZC confirmed the all-rounder had felt discomfort during the second Test, with his return timeline still to be determined.

"Glenn Phillips will miss the third test against England at Trent Bridge due to a side strain injury. Phillips felt side pain during the second Test at The Oval. Further assessment will determine Phillips' return-to-play timeline," the NZC statement added.

New Zealand's changes for the decider

The absences forced three changes to the New Zealand XI. Spinner Mitchell Santner came in for his first appearance of the series, Blair Tickner was included as a like-for-like replacement for the rested Kyle Jamieson, and Ben Sears, a travelling reserve, slotted in for Henry.

Latham won a crucial toss and elected to bat first on what looked like a dry surface in sweltering Nottingham conditions, a decision England captain Ben Stokes admitted he would have taken too.

New Zealand will also wear black armbands in memory of former fast bowler Bob Blair, who died this week on his 94th birthday, as they look to seal a famous series victory despite their depleted attack.

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Deepanjan Mitra

Deepanjan Mitra is a content writer and editor based in India, with extensive experience working across a variety of sports. He combines a passion for storytelling with an ability to deliver insightful news, analysis, and feature stories and has previously worked for the likes of Sports Illustrated and Essentially Sports. 

Source: Cricketnews.com