IPL hangover for Black Caps
HE hardly sounds overjoyed, Mike Hesson, but knows it’s an uncomfortable fact of modern cricketing life.
The Indian Premier League’s tentacles, as in the whims of franchise owners and coaches, will follow coach Hesson and his Black Caps to Ireland for their four triseries one-day internationals starting against the John Bracewell-coached hosts next Sunday night (NZT).
By the time they play Bangladesh at Clontarf on May 24, the New Zealand XI will be anyone’s guess with the 15-man tour squad to be joined in dribs and drabs by their eight IPL players. For uncapped seamers Seth Rance and Scott Kuggeleijn it’s an anxious wait, with the prospect they could make way before they even pull on the black cap as fast bowler Adam Milne looks set to be the first IPL arrival from the struggling Royal Challengers Bangalore.
So too, Corey Anderson and Martin Guptill whose sides are likely to miss the top-four, with the regular season ending the same day as the Black Caps’ opener against Ireland at Malahide. Franchises can release their international players at any time, but aren’t obliged to till the very end.
For Hesson it means a staggered, uncertain buildup to their big goal, the Champions Trophy starting against Australia at Edgbaston on June 2. It’s preceded by warmup matches against India on May 28 and Sri Lanka on May 30.
‘‘It [IPL] is not ideal preparation for a 50-over tournament. We’re all well aware of that. But it does have some advantages in terms of playing in front of big crowds, having to prepare for an intense environment,’’ Hesson said.
‘‘Those who are playing will be up to speed; those that aren’t I know are doing plenty of work behind the scenes but we’re going to have to cram a little bit once we get to England.’’
While allrounders Anderson and Colin de Grandhomme have played regular IPL, along with captain Kane Williamson, Mitchell McClenaghan and, more recently, Guptill, pace spearheads Trent Boult and Tim Southee have largely sat idle.
With the Big Two there’s always the head-scratcher of not enough cricket or too much, after Boult and Southee ended the South Africa test series injured. Now they’ll likely be underdone for a tournament Hesson predicts will be high-scoring. Their teams Kolkata and Mumbai could go all the way to the May 21 final which means the India warmup might be their first game in the UK.
‘‘I think they’ll be fizzing and ready to get on the park and get PHOTOSPORT
‘ We’re going to have to cram a little bit once we get to England.’
some playing opportunities. If they don’t play a lot more in the IPL I don’t think it’s the end of the world for those two. They’ve had plenty of cricket the last six months,’’ Hesson said of Boult and Southee.
The imposing figure of Anderson is starting to loom more into view. The power-hitting allrounder whose bad back sidelined him from bowling for an eternity is again performing strongly in the IPL.
With two pace bowling allrounders likely to make each New Zealand XI, Anderson will be pushing hard to unseat Jimmy Neesham – who’ll get first crack in Ireland – or de Grandhomme.
Said Hesson: ‘‘ Corey has to show he’s capable with the ball. He offers us experience in world events where he’s done very nicely for us, and he started his career at the Champions Trophy four years ago, in Cardiff. He’s had an up and down time since then, largely due to injury.
‘‘I’ve been pretty pleased with the way he’s bowled in the IPL. It’s only a couple of overs here and there but he certainly bowled with intensity and looks like his skills are getting close to where they need to be. I don’t think we’d consider Corey as a 10-over bowler but, to be fair, we don’t really consider the other two as 10-over bowlers either.’’