Road to the Cup
Any overseas test win is worth celebrating if you’re a New Zealand cricketer. That stirring innings and 65 run victory over Sri Lanka in Colombo on Monday night was only New Zealand’s 37th from 223 overseas tests stretching back to their first tour to England in 1931.
It’s becoming more familiar, at least, with 12 of those victories happening since 2010 – about onethird of their total.
We stack them up, among other burning questions from the final day demolition at P Saravanamuttu Stadium.
How does this one rate?
A win’s a win, especially in the steamy heat of Colombo at 1-0 down in the series. Of those 12 away victories in the past decade, six were bounce backs from defeat in the previous test.
But if we look across those 12, this one struggles to make the topfive.
Hobart in 2011 remains on top for shock value after a heavy loss to Australia, with Abu Dhabi last December a runnerup for clinching their first away series win over Pakistan in 49 years.
Honourable top-five spots also go to Headingley in 2015 from 1-0 down against England, the seriesclincher against West Indies in Bridgetown in 2014, and the previous trip to P Sara in 2012 against better opponents than the current Sri Lanka side who showed minimal fight on day five.
Sharjah in 2014 was monumental but carries the questionmark of being the test few wanted to play as news broke of the death of Phillip Hughes.
Why is there not a third test?
Great question. To cashstrapped cricket boards the threetest series is about as appealing as rain pouring down on a full house before a Twenty20 international.
England got three tests in Sri Lanka last year (they won 3-0) but brought huge TV rights and a somewhat barmy army of travelling fans.
Having said that, they’re only playing two in New Zealand in November, a curious series agreed on before the World Test Championship was formed. The preceding five T20s will be where the NZC cash register goes kerching, but it doesn’t change the fact two-test series are awfully hollow.
How good is test cricket, then?
It’s magnificent. Ben Stokes’ mastery of the highest pressure run chases (remember that World Cup final) and the Australian agony over fielding and review blunders at Headingley was top drawer sporting drama.
After a dour, seesawing Galle test, this one moved at more speed on an excellent pitch with something in it for batsmen and bowlers, as the Black Caps dominated the final two days.
A hearty ‘‘full credit’’ to the hordes of P Sara ground staff, too, who knew when rain was imminent and rushed the massive covers across the entire ground with impressive haste. Almost five sessions were lost to rain and if they had been tardy, New Zealand would have lost this series, too.
Should we worry about Kane Williamson?
No, but his cricketing break is not a moment too soon. No one knows how much that intense World Cup campaign and aftermath took out of the New Zealand captain and it makes sense for him to sit out these three Twenty20 internationals.
Williamson should miss a lot more of them, and ideally wouldn’t captain the Black Caps in T20s outside the world tournament just to ease some pressure and give him more down time.
For a man who has a test average of 52 and is rated among the world’s best, Williamson’s three-innings return of 24 was his lowest in six years since he scored 6, 13 and 3 against England in 2013. His next international will be against England in November, and gives him time to jump on his surfboard and relax for a while.
Who is New Zealand’s No 1 test spinner?
Ajaz Patel takes a narrow decision here, with nine wickets at 26.88 from the two tests compared with Will Somerville’s seven at 32.14. Both chipped in with vital wickets on the final day to play their part in another offshore test victory.
So who gets the spin spot against England at Bay Oval on November 21? Patel, probably, although Somerville’s height and extra bounce works in his favour and if England pick plenty of lefthanders that will help him.
One thing’s for sure, they will only pick one in New Zealand and the duo probably won’t team up again until the two-test tour of Bangladesh in a year’s time.
It’s an intriguing race and leaves the immediate test futures of both Mitchell Santner and Todd Astle up in the air.