Legspin race for final berth
Colin Munro? Tick.
Tim Seifert? Tick, with an asterisk.
Todd Astle? Bracket with Ish Sodhi, for now.
The legspin question looms as the toughest for New Zealand’s selectors entering their final three one-day internationals before the Cricket World Cup, starting with Bangladesh in Napier tomorrow (2pm start).
It leaves Astle, who’s bowled just seven international overs since injury cut short his United Arab Emirates tour, as the Black Cap with the most to gain in the next week or so while Sodhi chases another T20 Super Smash title with the Knights on Sunday.
Coach Gary Stead and coselector Gavin Larsen don’t need to announce their cup squad until late April, but will no doubt have a preferred 15 pencilled in by series end. Then it’s all about the backup cast and plan B or C if injuries hit.
Munro is a shoo-in for the cup 15, in a potential backup or utility batting role, even if he won’t face Bangladesh until game three in Dunedin next Wednesday when captain Kane Williamson takes a rest.
Seifert, player of the Twenty20 series against India, showed power and batting smarts and kept wicket tidily enough to put a compelling cup case as backup gloveman to Tom Latham.
The only question for Seifert now is whether Stead persists with the idea of promoted opener Henry Nicholls as backup keeper. That would open the door for both Astle and Sodhi in the cup squad, or lift Doug Bracewell’s hopes as he sits on the cusp after Matt Henry’s timely and compelling spell against India in Wellington.
But it looks increasingly unlikely and too risky should Latham suffer an injury on match eve, with Nicholls having no recent body of work or international experience with the gloves.
Said Stead of Seifert: ‘‘Where he goes in the future, that depends on how hard he works and opportunities that come in front of him, but I was certainly pleased with what I saw.’’
Should Seifert get the nod, then it looks like Astle versus Sodhi for that final berth.
Sodhi is undoubtedly good in T20 cricket, has bowled well in England but hasn’t always carried that form into the 50-over format, even though he appeals as an attacking option alongside Mitchell Santner. Two wicketless ODIs against India didn’t help his cause.
If Astle bowls well against Bangladesh he’ll be hard to resist for Stead. He can also attack in the middle stages and looks a safer bet than Sodhi, with his superior batting a plus.
All indications are that allrounders Jimmy Neesham and Colin de Grandhomme are lockins for the cup, leaving Bracewell potentially on the outer despite some handy ODIs against India.
Another thing to harm Bracewell’s chances was Henry’s 4-35 against India which eased concerns over the latter’s form. Bracewell looks an ideal squad man, reliable with the ball in any role and a solid batsman and fielder, but it’s difficult to see where he fits in if Henry continues to fire against Bangladesh.
Stead said the ODI side’s plans wouldn’t change despite their comprehensive 4-1 defeat to India which saw them slip to fourth behind South Africa in the world rankings.
‘‘It’s about putting the opposition aside and saying ‘this is the way we want to play our cricket’ and getting out there and doing that.’’
Bangladesh are ranked seventh under captain Mashrafe Mortaza and arrive with an 0-10 ODI record against the Black Caps in New Zealand. They opened their tour with a twowicket defeat to a New Zealand XI on Sunday after posting 247.