What's a Tour Without a Few Injuries?

No pre-match buildup is complete without additions to the injury list, it seems. Daryl Tuffey is set to return home following a bicep strain, and he joins Ryder, Oram and possibly McCullum and Vettori on the sidelines.

These are crucial absences. Even Oram, who's been injured for most of the year and has not put in a decent performance for as long as anyone can remember, has been missed for his ability to push the singles and bowl wicket-to-wicket - something the current set are struggling to do consistently.

While I wasn't expecting Tuffey to set the series on fire, this feels like another symptom of a tour going downwards for the Black Caps. The morale can't be that high at the moment.

The thing is, there's a lot to play for. A couple of months ago you wouldn't have got short odds on Guptill, How or Williamson being genuine contenders for the World Cup, and now they make up the top three. Hopkins is getting every chance to redeem himself so prehaps the only way for him is up. They shouldn't be thinking of the flight back just yet.