Astle loves being in thick of it at long last
Legspinning allrounder enjoys ‘getting out and showing wares’ after injury his woes
You get the impression Todd Astle will already have marked out his run-up for tomorrow’s second ODI against the West Indies. He’s clearly itching for more after what he called “a dream come true” debut in Whangarei on Wednesday.
Canterbury cricket’s legspinning allrounder turned in a quality performance with the ball, taking three for 33 off his 10 overs, then chipping in with an unbeaten 15 as New Zealand wrapped up a five-wicket win.
It’s been a while coming for the 31-year-old, who has played two tests — five years apart — and a couple of T20s against Pakistan early last year. Now he’s completed a full set of international appearances.
“I’ve been waiting a while so it’s nice to get out and show my wares,” Astle said after New Zealand arrived in Christchurch for their two ODIs this weekend.
He would have almost certainly made his 50-over debut in India a few weeks ago. He had impressed for New Zealand A on tour there, but just when his time appeared to have come he suffered an injury before the first game and was packed off home.
“It was tough at the time getting injured and having to come home. But it was a case of getting back, getting right and putting runs and wickets on the board.”
Which he did, with half centuries against Otago and Auckland early this month, and wickets against Otago and Northern Districts, plus three for 18 in 2.4 overs against Otago in a T20 match eight days ago.
Astle is no rookie. He has been around domestic cricket since the 2005-06 season, amassing 110 firstclass games, taking 313 wickets at 31.61 and averaging 25.95 with the bat.
He showed quality control over his bowling on Wednesday and had the West Indies groping to pick his wrong’un.
“You try to be unpredictable. In T20 and one-dayes that’s your advantage. Any little doubt you can create, that’s what you’re trying to bring, bowling those variations.”
Astle said he had quickened his pace a touch but also mixed up his deliveries more often in recent times.
“I’ve been bowling lots of cross seamers and wrong’uns, having that tactical mindset and having the confidence of being the main spinner at Canterbury, and now taking that forward to playing for the Black Caps.”
So as things stand, Astle has his nose in front of Ish Sodhi as New Zealand’s preferred legspinner in the 50-over form; Sodhi is, in the words of coach Mike Hesson, among the first named pencilled in for the T20 side.
Left arm spinner Mitchell Santner returns to the New Zealand squad for the second and third ODIs, but Astle is optimistic about having another opportunity against the West Indies.
He deserves it too, after Wednesday’s effort at Cobham Oval.
“I’m pretty rapt with how it went and hopefully I can just take that confidence forward,” he said.
The New Zealand squad is in an upbeat frame of mind, he added. The idea now is to keep their foot down on the West Indies, after winning both tests and the first ODI.
“The guys have had good success in New Zealand in the last few years so it’s a case of taking that philosophy in what we’ve been doing and try to do it as long as we can.”
And he’s hoping to be part of it again tomorrow on his home ground at Hagley Oval.
“Fingers crossed, and I guess it will come down to what the wicket is like and what the coaching staff want.”