Wheeler set to be spared more punishment
Black Caps coach Mike Hesson has all but ruled out a return to the scene of the nightmare for left-arm seamer Ben Wheeler.
Wheeler narrowly avoided the unwanted distinction of the most expensive bowling in a T20 international during Friday’s tri-series match against Australia at Eden Park.
He was hammered by the Australian batsmen, conceding 0-64 from 3.1 overs as they chased down a record total of 244 to beat New Zealand by five wickets.
Wheeler looks set to be spared having to bowl to Australia again at Eden Park in tonight’s T20 triseries final. Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner appears to be over a minor knee problem and New Zealand look set to name the same XI that lost to England by two runs in Hamilton on Sunday.
Hesson downplayed the injury to Santner, picked up while fielding in last Tuesday’s T20 against England in Wellington. - Barry McCarthy (Ireland) 0-69 from four overs v Afghanistan in March, 2017
- Kyle Abbott (South Africa) 1-68 from four overs v West Indies in January, 2015
- James Anderson (England) 1-64 from four overs v Australia in January, 2007
- Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka) 0-64 from four overs v Pakistan in September, 2007
- Andrew Tye (Australia) 2-64 from four overs v New Zealand in February, 2018
- Ben Wheeler (New Zealand) 0-64 from 3.1 overs v Australia in February, 2018
- Rubel Hossain (Bangladesh) 2-63 from four overs v West Indies in December, 2012
- Mashrafe Mortaza (Bangladesh) 0-63 from four overs v Pakistan in March, 2014
Santner played in Sunday’s loss to England after missing the Australia match and got through the outing OK.
‘‘Assuming Mitch wakes up and is fine, he’s obviously got a pretty good chance of starting,’’ he told
Radio Sport.
‘‘He’s fine. He got a bit of a knock in the knee in the game in Wellington when he dived for the catch in front of the dugout. Banged his knee and there was a bit of fluid under there. Nothing too major.’’
Wheeler’s confidence would have taken a battering on Friday, but Hesson backed him to recover from the onslaught and learn from the experience.
‘‘He was knocked around a bit the other night and certainly took it hard.
‘‘He’s been a very good cricketer over a long period of time, particularly domestically [for Central Districts] and he’s done well for us when he’s played.
‘‘I’m sure if given an opportunity [through injury] that he’d be ready to go.’’
Wheeler bowled two no balls above waist height during his disastrous final over – when the first ball went for 13 runs – and the 26-year-old was therefore not allowed to complete his final five balls.
His final economy rate (runs per over) was a staggering 20.21 – by far the highest among the bowlers who’ve conceded 50 runs or more in a T20 international.
The most expensive bowling in a T20 international is 0-69 from four overs by Ireland’s Barry McCarthy against Afghanistan last year.