Blair Tickner is hoping the trauma New Zealand has gone through as a nation due to Cyclone Gabrielle will help bring the Test squad together.
Tickner's hometown of Hawke's Bay, on the east coast of the country's north island, has borne the brunt of the cyclone, which has been labelled as the fiercest storm the nation has experienced in living memory.
The official death toll stands at 11 but thousands of homes have been damaged beyond repair.
Tickner, who made his Test debut in the heavy defeat to England at the Bay Oval last week, was given special dispensation to leave the squad and assist the rebuild efforts in Hawke's Bay.
The 29-year-old linked back up with the Black Caps squad in Wellington and, ahead of the second Test starting on Friday at Basin Reserve, believes the team has been brought closer together by the catastrophe.
"I definitely want to get my first win in Test match cricket and really want to do it for the people in Hawke's Bay," he said of the extra motivation he has heading into the second Test.
"Now we've banded together as a team and fundraising this money I think it's going to be very special."
Explaining the damage in his hometown, an emotional Tickner said: "My father's house has been fully destroyed.
"It was good to get back and help them out. And, obviously, it's hard times for the whole region so helping out neighbours and whoever we could.
"Luckily enough, the Central Stags cricket team was helping alongside us. It has been tough. It's really tough at the moment. But [people in] Hawke's Bay are staying strong.
"Obviously, you grow up there as a kid and it's just crazy. A bit hard to talk about, really. There are so many damaged little parts of Hawke's Bay I haven't even seen yet.
"You sort of just get to work: people are just walking down the road and just asking people if they need help and it has just been awesome to see the region pulling together."
England won by 267 runs in the first Test, meaning the best New Zealand can hope for from the two-match series is a draw.
Under the tutelage of New Zealand great Brendon McCullum's coaching and Ben Stokes' captaincy, England have won 10 of their last 11 Tests while playing a thrilling brand of cricket dubbed 'Bazball'.
Wicketkeeper Ben Foakes is enjoying the freedom.
"It kind of feels like club cricket," said Foakes. "When I first came in, the pressures involved in Test cricket were so extreme and you were so worried about playing a false shot and things like that.
"Sometimes now you can get out in a weird way and it's a kind of a joke."
England out to extend winning streak
England have won their last four Tests against New Zealand, after going winless across their seven meetings prior in the format (D3, L4).
The last time they enjoyed a longer winning run against the Black Caps was a six-match span from February 1963 to July 1965.
Stokes' team have won their last six Tests. England last had a better such run in the format back in 2004, when they won eight in a row.
Skippers Stokes and Williamson close in on records
Stokes (194) is six away from becoming the 16th player to take 200 wickets for England in men's Tests.
However, Stokes' Test bowling strike rate against New Zealand (110.8) is his highest against any team.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson (7,651 runs), meanwhile, is 33 away from becoming the all-time leading run scorer for New Zealand in men's Tests.
Andre Russell ventures into Bollywood music scene with SRK's support
West Indies and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Andre Russell is set to make waves in Bollywood, following in the footsteps of Trinidadian cricketer Dwayne Bravo, who achieved success with his hit song 'Champion' in India.
Known for adding energy and entertainment to the dressing room, West Indian cricketers have a history of making their mark beyond the cricket field, with stars like Chris Gayle, DJ Bravo, Kieron Pollard, and Darren Sammy shining in the IPL. The latest to join this list is Andre Russell, the dynamic KKR sensation.
Russell is stepping into the music world by lending his vocals to a song composed by Palaash Muchhal. He will also be featured alongside actress Avika Gor in the accompanying music video.
What makes Russell's foray into music even more exciting is the backing of Bollywood titan Shahrukh Khan, the owner of Kolkata Knight Riders. Known for his larger-than-life persona, SRK is not just a team owner but also a key figure in the entertainment industry. Russell and SRK share a strong camaraderie, often seen enjoying each other's company and having fun moments together.
Recently, a video of Russell singing SRK's iconic song "Lut Put Gaya" from the movie 'Dunki' went viral, showcasing his passion for music. With SRK's support and Russell's infectious energy, fans can anticipate an exciting collaboration between the cricket star and the Bollywood icon.
Andre Russell's venture into Bollywood music adds a new dimension to his versatile talents and promises to be a delightful treat for his fans in India and across the globe.
IPL: Kumar the hero as Sunrisers stun Royals for final-ball win
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the hero as Sunrisers Hyderabad came back from the brink to secure a final-ball win over Indian Premier League leaders Rajasthan Royals on Thursday.
Kumar left the Royals reeling at 1-2 as they chased 202 for victory, dismissing both Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson for first-over ducks, flattening middle wicket to send the latter walking five balls in.
A 127-run partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag then seemed to have the Royals closing in on a fifth straight win, only for their chase to unravel in spectacular fashion.
Two wickets apiece from Thangarasu Natarajan and Pat Cummins left the Royals needing 20 runs off 11 balls, and Rovman Powell came up with a thrilling cameo, the highlight being an unbelievable dive to avoid being run out on the penultimate delivery, which took Rajasthan within two runs of victory and one of a super over.
However, there was one more twist to come as Powell swung at Kumar's full toss, which clipped his back leg and was confirmed as out following a review, sealing a memorable win for Sunrisers.
The Sunrisers had also found themselves in a hole in their own innings, only for Nitish Kumar Reddy (76) and Heinrich Klaasen (42) to finish unbeaten and bring up a total they were just about able to defend.
Data Debrief: Kumar bookends back-and-forth innings
For much of the Rajasthan innings, it looked like Kumar's early dismissals of Buttler and Samson would count for nought, with some expensive overs from Cummins and Marco Jansen leaving the Royals on the brink.
However, Kumar stepped up when it was all on the line on the final delivery, leaving Powell in a tangle to end Hyderabad's two-match losing streak and lift them into the top four.
Pakistan bowlers shine to hand West Indies first loss of tour in fourth T20I
West Indies Women suffered their first loss on their tour of Pakistan as the hosts secured an eight-wicket win in the fourth T20 International at the Karachi National Stadium on Thursday.
Excellent Pakistan bowling meant the tourists were restricted to just 84-9 off their 20 overs after winning the toss and batting first.
Shemaine Campbelle (26), Zaida James (19) and Jannilea Glasgow (10) were the only West Indian batters to get double-figures as Sadia Iqbal and Nida Dar dominated with 3-18 from four overs and 3-19 from four overs, respectively.
Pakistan then needed only 16.3 overs to reach 87-2 and secure their first win of the series. Ayesha Zafar led the way with 42* off 48 balls while Gull Feroza finished 21* off 24 balls.
Afy Fletcher and Shamilia Connell took a wicket, each, for the Windies.
Full Scores: West Indies Women 84-9 (Shemaine Campbelle 26, Sadia Iqbal 3-18, Nida Dar 3-19)
Pakistan Women 87-2 (Ayesha Zafar 42*, Gull Feroza 21*, Afy Fletcher 1-6, Shamilia Connell 1-8)
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