No margin of error for Black Caps

‘ They have some real match winners.’ NZ COACH MIKE HESSON

NO doubt about it, Mike Hesson has coached the New Zealand cricket team to significant success in a tenure approaching five years.

An unbeaten run in tests stretching across seven series and almost two years, two ChappellHadlee series wins and a first World Cup final appearance in one-day internationals and the No 1 ranking in Twenty20s. None of that can be scoffed at. There can also be little disputing the latest chance to add to that list, somewhere near the top of it, in fact, has arrived on the doorstep of the Kiwi side.

Followed by a three-match test series which will be equally as testing, the five-match ODI series which is scheduled to start against South Africa in Hamilton today is up there with the stiffest of challenges the Hesson-led New Zealand team has faced.

If there was any debate about that, it was put to bed in emphatic fashion on Friday night in the tour-opening T20 at Eden Park.

During the past 10 months, the Proteas have swept Sri Lanka and Australia 5-0 in one-day series on home soil, and recorded a brilliant away test series win against the latter.

Given he turned 33 on Friday and made his international debut as a 20-year-old in 2004, AB de Villiers’ comments on the keys to that success were telling as to what New Zealand had to overcome.

‘‘The culture and belief in this squad is as high as I’ve ever experienced,’’ the star batsman said yesterday.

‘‘There is a great respect among the players and a real sense of direction, it’s as simple as that. ‘‘We know it can change in a matter of minutes and we have a deep respect for the game and the fact you can go into a dip at any time but I really believe in what we have in this team.’’

The obstacles to hurdle for the hosts don’t end there.

In the quartet of de Villiers (2), Faf du Plessis (4), Quinton de Kock (5) and Hashim Amla (6), South Africa have four of the top six-ranked batsmen in the oneday game.

They also have the No 1-ranked bowler in leg-spinner Imran Tahir, who lit up Eden Park with career-best figures of 5-24 in the standalone T20, and equal seventh-ranked Kagiso Rabada, perhaps the most exciting young fast bowler in world cricket.

And after such a convincing T20 defeat, Hesson openly acknowledged the size of the task in front of his side.

‘‘I don’t think we needed [a reminder] but if we did it certainly showed us just how many good players they have.

‘‘They have really aggressive new ball bowlers, who swing the ball from length rather than floating up there. They have good control and, keep coming hard.

‘‘From a batting point of view, from one to seven they have some real match winners and real high quality.’’