Power duo’s ‘baptism of fire’
It’s a reflection of how tight New Zealand’s cricket selectors see the wicketkeeping race that Tim Seifert will be their third different gloveman in four Twenty20 internationals.
The power game that led the 23-year-old Northern Knight to blast a New Zealand domestic T20 record 40-ball century against Auckland in December won him the nod in the middle order for Tuesday night’s tri-series match against England in Wellington.
Last year’s star of domestic T20, Glenn Phillips, was sent back to Ford Trophy cricket after struggling against Pakistan at Eden Park; then two-test ‘keeper Tom Blundell got two matches before Seifert received the call.
It’s a tough business, international cricket, and after three successive defeats and some batting misfires, tough talking was required at the selection table.
‘‘You could throw a blanket over those guys in terms of their wicketkeeping. We’re very impressed with all the keepers and there’s some serious challengers across the three formats,’’ selector Gavin Larsen said.
‘‘Glenn got the first opportunity and, like Tom [Bruce], didn’t quite produce the output we needed. Then it was someone who could do the job best at six or seven. Tom [Blundell] has done nothing wrong and this was a tough call, but we just want more power through the whole order.’’
Seifert (323 runs, strike rate 147) and Auckland’s Mark Chapman (307 runs, strike rate 172) were third and fourth on the T20 Super Smash run charts, and were summoned to power up the batting in place of Bruce and Blundell.
With the top-three of Martin Guptill, Colin Munro and Kane Williamson unchanged, Chapman will likely replace Bruce at No 4 at Westpac Stadium, followed by Ross Taylor and Colin de Grandhomme, then Seifert most likely at seven.
Against two of the form sides in world cricket, first at a sometimes tricky Westpac Stadium drop-in and then on a bouncy Eden Park surface next Friday, it will be another litmus test for domestic T20 form and how it transfers to international cricket.
‘‘It’ll be a baptism of fire, no doubt about that. But we don’t select anybody that we don’t think can do the job at that highest level. We’re rewarding good consistent domestic performances and we believe they’re both ready,’’ Larsen said.
Seifert showed he could bludgeon attacks soon after leaving Cambridge’s St Peter’s School, when in 2013 as an 18-year-old he
hit 230 not out for Waikato Valley against Northland in a Hawke Cup game in Whangarei.
Chapman, also 23, has 19 T20 internationals and two one-day internationals for Hong Kong, where he was born before attending King’s College in Auckland. He remains the form batsman of domestic cricket with a competition-leading 433 runs at 87 in Ford Trophy.
‘‘Mark Chapman’s form has been so compelling and his hundred at the Basin [against Wellington last Sunday] was a magnificent innings.‘‘
Saturday’s 117-9 flop against Australia in Sydney followed backto-back defeats to Pakistan, on the back of 13 straight wins across the formats against West Indies and Pakistan.
‘‘It was one of the more interesting [selection] discussions we’ve had,’’ said Larsen.
‘‘The tide can turn quite quickly and T20 can be quite a fickle format. The main thing for us was not to kneejerk and keep a clear head.’’
From the Sydney squad of 14, swing bowler Seth Rance dropped out while Anaru Kitchen remained as batting and spin bowling cover.
The squad assemble in Wellington on Saturday, ahead of three games in six days ending with England in Hamilton next Sunday night.