Ferguson has edge in tight race
It’s difficult to recall a more compelling case for test inclusion than Lockie Ferguson’s, among New Zealand fast bowlers.
Whether you watched West Indies batsmen hopping about the crease at Lincoln last weekend, or winced at video replays of his 12-78 demolition of Otago, the 26-yearold deserves to clutch a new black cap at Wellington’s Basin Reserve on Friday morning.
Confirmation of senior man Tim Southee’s absence, as he and partner Briar await the imminent birth of their child, pitted Ferguson against Matt Henry in the race to share the new ball with Trent Boult in the first test.
Even coach Mike Hesson, speaking on the New Zealand team’s scheduled day off on Wednesday, said it was an incredibly tight call. His assertion that he and captain Kane Williamson would delay a decision till after Thursday’s final training appeared genuine.
Hesson was at Bert Sutcliffe Oval and said Ferguson was bowling as well as he’d ever seen him, as he snared 7-91 for New Zealand A against the tourists.
‘‘Matt didn’t play that game so it’s difficult to compare, but we’re very happy with the way Lockie’s bowling. But Matt’s last opportunity in a test was superb [against South Africa] so it’s going to be a tough call,’’ Hesson said.
‘‘It depends whether we want to go with extra pace or we think it might nip around a little bit and we want someone with Matt’s control.’’
Miles in the legs also counts and Ferguson’s bowled 156 overs to Henry’s 59 this season, in India and at home.
Ferguson toiled at the Basin in Auckland’s season opener, taking 2-127 off 26 overs, but has 24 wickets in his last three matches and averages 17.57 in Plunket Shield, fast and hostile with bouncer or yorker.
Henry looked in need of the run in his only home first-class match, also at the Basin, when he took
3-105 off 27 for Canterbury.
Gut instinct screams out Ferguson’s name, but Henry, who has
22 wickets at 48.5 from eight tests, remains in the photo finish in this two-horse race.
Essentially the incumbent, Henry stepped in for the injured
Southee in Hamilton in March and took 5-113 as the Black Caps were a day five washout away from a series-levelling victory.
Selection loyalty to wellperformed sides is big for Hesson, particularly in test cricket and new caps aren’t donated lightly.
With the now-traditional emerald Basin pitch set to nip around for day one at least, Henry’s seamers could be ideal in tandem with Boult’s swing if Williamson can win the toss. If the northerly gets up with the pitch at its best for batting, Henry is better placed to punch into it than Ferguson.
‘‘We’ve been pretty consistent in our selections and the players have certainly warranted that,’’ Hesson said.
‘‘The last series against South Africa we played some really good cricket against a top side but that was a long time ago. We have to get back in that groove pretty quickly [not having played a test in eight months].’’
West Indies are in that groove, having come from a creditable 2-1 series defeat in England to beat Zimbabwe 1-0 on some of the flattest test pitches around.
The tourists, rejuvenated and seemingly united under coach Stuart Law and captain Jason Holder, racked up 451-9 despite Ferguson’s thunderbolts at Lincoln. Shai Hope is a new batting star at No 4 and the pace attack of Shannon Gabriel, Kemar Roach and Jason Holder has good balance and ability to knock sides over.
Hesson was impressed by their discipline at Lincoln and Roach, who spoke after training on Wednesday, reflected a confident side keen to have a bowl first on Friday.
‘‘There’s definitely something for the bowlers. A lot of green out there so hopefully the guys can do the job. The first day always counts, it’s all about the first hour of the first day of the test match,’’ Roach said.