Cup intel crucial for Caps
NZ Cricket’s reconnaissance for next year’s World Cup has delivered major gains, writes Andrew Alderson.
Intelligence is being sought to prepare for the 46-day World Cup tournament, starting on May 30 next year. Sixteen current or former Black Caps are contracted to 12 English counties across various formats.
Those counties have venues where New Zealand will play five of its eight round robin games.
The remaining three — Glamorgan’s Sophia Gardens, Surrey’s Oval and Lancashire’s Old Trafford — are grounds where players have also featured this season.
The idea behind the strategy is to cover all possible World Cup contingencies as New Zealand seek to emulate, and preferably better, their maiden final appearance in 2015.
Key sounding boards
Tom Latham, Matt Henry and Ross Taylor have been immersed in England this season and each has played at four of New Zealand’s eight World Cup venues, more than any other Black Cap.
Taylor’s significance is obvious as the senior pro, who has travelled to England on the past three tours, and two Champions Trophies. His time at Nottinghamshire shapes as pivotal, given New Zealand play India there.
Henry has revelled in English conditions and must challenge for a regular 50-over place at the World Cup, if he sustains his form. He tops the county championship division two wicket table with 49 at 13.40, 15 dismissals more than anyone else. He has the secondequal most wickets in the Royal London One-Day Cup with 16 at a 34.43 average and 5.55 economy rate.
Latham has captained Durham across all formats and spent valuable time at Chester-le-street, where New Zealand meet England in their last round robin match. He has a first-class average of 29 and List A average of 31.87 at a strike rate of 80, and has excelled in the T20 competition.
Key setback
Mike Hesson, the soon-to-be former coach, was renowned for his forensic analysis of variables which could influence matches.
Players could have expected inquisitions on how opposition, grounds or conditions fared in
England.
Hopefully there is no reinvention of the intelligence wheel when his successor emerges. Whoever that is a) needs access to the same material and b) know how to pan for cricketing nuggets from an avalanche of raw material.
Key advantage
The global village. Players are spending more time with international opposition, often in the same dressing room, particularly since the advent of Twenty20 franchise leagues more than a decade ago. That will occur in England this season. Such familiarity means procuring a competitive advantage has never been easier.
Biggest unknown
Old Trafford. Six New Zealanders — Latham, Taylor, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Neil Wagner and Kane Williamson — have played at the Manchester ground this season, but runs and wickets have been scarce.
The highlight has been Taylor’s 58 in a List A game against Lancashire on May 17. Further stressing New Zealand’s scarcity of intelligence at the venue is that they have played one international — a 56-run T20 loss to England in 2015 — in the last decade.
They meet the West Indies and have a possible semifinal at the ground during the World Cup. Similarly, The Oval, where New Zealand play Bangladesh, poses problems because only one Black Cap — Adam Milne — has played there this season.
Home away from home
Edgbaston. This is handy because it’s where New Zealand will play matches against South Africa, Pakistan, and a possible semifinal. Past Black Caps Jeetan Patel and Grant Elliott lead the Warwickshire firstclass and one-day sides, and Birmingham Bears Twenty20 franchise respectively.
Many incumbent Black Caps have played at the ground on previous England tours and there have been significant Kiwi performances this season. Those include Latham’s 58 from 34 balls to lead Durham to an 18-run T20 victory, and Colin de Grandhomme’s 63 not out from 33 balls in the same match.