England has opted to keep Ollie Pope as its stand-in wicketkeeper for the second test against New Zealand starting Thursday.

Ollie Pope will again keep wicket for England after the tourists named an unchanged team for the second Test against New Zealand in Wellington.

England are lucky to have a player of Ollie Pope’s versatility. Probably not since Alec Stewart have they had such a competent wicket-keeping all-rounder, who relishes batting at the top order as well.

England and New Zealand were fined 15% of their match fees and penalised three World Test Championship points each for slow over-rates in the first test at Christchurch, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Tuesday.

Ben Stokes was left bemused by over-rate penalties imposed on his England side after their eight-wicket win over New Zealand in Christchurch, responding with three shrugging emojis and sarcastically writing: "Good on you ICC.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has again imposed strict penalties on England and New Zealand for slow over-rates during their first Test in Christchurch. The sanctions, which include financial fines and World Test Championship (WTC) point deductions,