Stead gets his thinking Caps on
New national coach ponders options for World Cup
New Black Caps coach Gary Stead says ‘‘three or four’’ spots in his World Cup squad remain up for debate as the full squad gathers for the first time.
Stead, who took the reins from Mike Hesson earlier this month, wrapped up a three-day camp at Lincoln yesterday where he assembled 22 frontliners with only Matt Henry, Jeet Raval and Lockie Ferguson absent as they make their way home from England.
New Zealand A, followed by the Black Caps, leave next month for the United Arab Emirates where the top side will play Pakistan in three Twenty20s, three ODIS and three tests, starting November 1.
Next year’s 10-team World Cup in the UK, starting on May 30, is the big one and planning is well under way with 14 ODIS against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh for hopefuls to audition. As soon as early March, Stead will likely have 15 names pencilled in.
‘‘There’s probably three or four you’re trying to work out, still,’’ Stead told Stuff before the camp.
‘‘I don’t want to go into individual positions because I haven’t had the chance to see the guys on tour at all yet.
‘‘You can probably guess the ones we’re trying to weigh up, and weigh up the balance of the 15 and who covers who in case of injuries.’’
That was too good an invitation to pass up, so here’s edition one of the World Cup crystal ball gaze and which spots are most tightly contested, with some observations from the coach himself.
OPENING BATSMEN
Martin Guptill is a safe bet, and for now, Colin Munro remains his opening partner for that first ODI against Pakistan.
Munro averaged 11.2 in their last ODI series against England and looked on thin ice, but in his favoured T20 he plundered a record 567 runs at a strike rate of 140 in the recent Caribbean Premier League and Stead noticed.
Stead: ‘‘From what I saw in the CPL – and it’s T20 cricket and it’s different – Colin played some very mature innings and adjusted well to the different surfaces.
‘‘That’s encouraging and if he can bring that into the ODI game, and bat to 25 overs, then you know the team’s going to be in a strong position.
‘‘He’s still learning his role but the thing Colin brings is that X-factor – he can change the game quickly.
‘‘In 50-over cricket you need to go deeper and longer than you do with T20 and I think Colin can do that and I look forward to helping him try and get there.’’
Munro’s medium pacers offer a sixth or seventh bowling option, too.
George Worker looks the next cab off the rank but needs chances in black to push his case.
BACKUP BATSMAN/ WICKETKEEPER
Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor are the batting bankers carrying the weight of a cricketing nation; Tom Latham the No 1 gloveman and No 5, and Henry Nicholls likely there too.
That leaves a backup batting spot, ideally a wicketkeeper as Latham’s deputy.
BJ Watling’s limited overs international career looked finished after a lacklustre series in Australia but his selection in the ODI squad for the UAE was a clear signal – even if those names were picked by Hesson and co-selector Gavin Larsen before Stead was appointed.
Stead: ‘‘He’s experienced and he’s a quiet leader within the group. I can’t speak for the selectors and why he was picked, but I’m guessing we’re looking at him [Watling] covering batting positions as well as being cover for a keeping spot.
‘‘You need experience at World Cup time and it’s important those players can do some different roles if required.’’
It may be that Watling, a senior leader in the test side, is picked for his experience and versatility (covering spots 1-5), and may not play much.
Tom Blundell and Tim Seifert are next in that queue.
ALL-ROUNDERS
Colin de Grandhomme is top allrounder in all three formats and looks safe. Corey Anderson batted well for Somerset in England’s T20 competition but bowled only four overs which is a worry, after undergoing surgery to fuse his spine last year.
Fully fit and firing with his leftarmers, Anderson strolls into the 15. But if he’s not it’s a headache for Stead, and could bring Jimmy Neesham back into the frame if he can spark up with the ball for his new team Wellington. Stead was keen to check in where Anderson stood with his bowling, as he heads to the UAE with NZ A.
Stead: ‘‘It comes back to the balance of the team you want. That allrounder spot is really critical and we need to ensure whoever that person, or people, in those roles we need genuine overs out of them.
‘‘We’ve got a number of players that you’d class as batting all-rounders; but not many who are genuine bowlers who could be good enough to bat No 7 or No 8. Someone like Mitchell Santner could be important in balancing that up.’’ Santner isn’t expected back until after Christmas in domestic cricket as he recovers from knee surgery. All going well the left-armer will stroll into the squad, leaving legspinners Ish Sodhi and Todd Astle to likely fight out the second spinner’s berth.
Both will get chances to impress, and that debate will again ensue: Sodhi’s brilliance and variations against Astle’s all-round game and batting ability.
FAST BOWLERS
Four, or five, in the squad will be Stead’s question, probably depending on which all-rounders he picks.
Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Matt Henry are lock-ins, leaving Ferguson and Adam Milne potentially contesting one spot, and a slew of top domestic performers such as Seth Rance, Blair Tickner, Scott Kuggeleijn and Hamish Bennett in the mix if injuries strike.
Milne was third seamer at the 2015 World Cup but hasn’t played an ODI in nearly a year, while the man who took the mantle as New Zealand’s quickest, Ferguson, has proved more durable.
Stead: ‘‘Both of them [Milne and Ferguson] are only in the T20 squad at the moment and I’d like to see them both play together and see how they go. They’re both coming off really good UK summers and from my understanding both bowled with really good pace.
‘‘Hopefully there’s still a bit of movement in the air from them because if they can bowl at 140kmh or above with movement then they’re even more dangerous.’’