Heavy defeat woundsWilliamson
Kane Williamson wanted so much to focus on the fightback to reach 2-2 in the one-day international series against India, but couldn’t avert his eyes from the cricketing train smash he’d just witnessed.
The New Zealand skipper will board the plane home with the proverbial rock in the back of his seat; buoyed by the tour contributions of Mitchell Santner and Tom Latham but wounded by the batting meltdown which will provide the lasting image of India.
All out for 79, New Zealand’s fifth-lowest ODI total and shortest innings of them all at 23.1 overs in Visakhapatnam when their first series win in India beckoned.
Pakistan loom for two home tests starting on November 17 before the Black Caps defend the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy in Australia in December, with both series offering the chance for redemption with red and white ball.
After seven weeks in the toughest touring environment, the flight home and chance to regroup wasn’t a moment too soon.
Just three days earlier they’d pulled off a memorable victory after Williamson called correctly for the only time.
‘‘They certainly got above par with the bat [269-6] on a tough surface but there were no excuses from us. We were extremely poor with the bat,’’ Williamson said.
‘‘There’s a lot of lessons to be learned against a very good side in these conditions. Unfortunately sometimes the biggest, brightest lessons come with failures and defeats. I hope we learn a lot from this series and take a little bit of heart.’’
When Williamson mistimed a lofted drive to depart for 27, it sparked a collapse of 8-16 against India’s three-spin attack. Legspinner Amit Mishra destroyed the middle order with 5-18, including two that turned plenty to skittle BJ Watling and Jimmy Neesham and hurl the Black Caps against the ropes.
An unhappy return series for Corey Anderson continued when he was trapped in front by a straight one, having taken his first tentative steps back to the bowling crease.
‘‘The spinners bowled extremely well but I don’t think it justified 8-20 and we need to look at some of our plans to cope with that at times. There was turn throughout some of the other games and we were far better at playing it,’’ said Williamson.
India’s master batsman Virat Kohli offered a lesson, too, and was singled out by Williamson as the difference. He averaged 119 in the five-match series, having survived a second early let-off when Ish Sodhi put down a searing return chance on eight. Kohli scored 65 in India’s above-par total on a pitch that got slower and trickier.
New Zealand’s batting guns didn’t fire consistently, with Latham averaging 61 and Williamson 42 for the series, but no other batsman topping 25.
Latham was labelled outstanding by Williamson who also singled out Santner as one of his tour stars. The spin bowling allrounder showed his versatility in the tests, too, despite a modest first-class record. ’’Mitch has performed day in, day out, in the tests and in the one-dayers; his change of pace and being able to spin the ball on any surface was a great asset.’’
The captain, and coach Mike Hesson, will now mull over selections and the state of the batting for the home summer, starting with the test side to face Pakistan in Christchurch.
Kneejerk reactions aren’t their way, particularly going from turning pitches where the batsmen were largely bereft to what should be a pace bowler’s haven at Hagley Oval. Still, confidence may be an issue and opener Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor will badly want local runs under their belts before Pakistan’s pacemen take aim.
Who slots in at No 5 is the big question, with Henry Nicholls and Luke Ronchi having filled the spot in South Africa and India. Runs in the next fortnight might decide that.