Changes looming for future ODIs

Changes could be afoot in the New Zealand one-day international ranks after the 3-2 series loss to England.

Coach Mike Hesson acknowledged the batsmen, barring a selection of individual performances, had not delivered as hoped.

The situation is complicated by the national side only being scheduled to contest their next ODI in October or November away against Pakistan.

They are less than 15 months from the start of the World Cup in England, but Hesson may need to keep experimenting with their optimum line-up next summer.

“There’s plenty of thinking to be done,” Hesson said. “Based on previous performances, the players earned the right to play in this series, but collectively we weren’t where we needed to be. Our top order hasn’t set the platform, that’s pretty clear. Colin [Munro] is a destructive player, but finding the tempo in one-day cricket is a work-on for him. We still see him as a good prospect.”

The failure to deliver consistent batting results provided a gateway for England’s bowlers to pounce.

Openers Martin Guptill and Munro produced a best opening stand of 12 and were never together beyond the third over across the series.

Add the fact New Zealand lost their third wicket before reaching 100 — or getting past the 21st over — in each match. That contravenes their plan to build a platform until at least the 30th over before the lower order consider strapping on pads.

They had fortunate escapes with record fourth-wicket partnerships between Ross Taylor and Tom Latham in the victories at Hamilton and Dunedin.

“As a batting unit, we didn’t fire in terms of the balance we wanted to put out there,” Hesson said.

He said the series was a pinnacle event in the summer, at least with the white ball, and it was a disappointing all-round performance.

“We were consistent in our selection throughout. “We’ve got three guys who average over 40 in ODI cricket [Guptill, Kane Williamson and Taylor] and others, like Tom Latham, making good contributions. But we’re not combining as well as we should.”

Meanwhile, BJ Watling is making a steady return into test contention, having not played for New Zealand this summer.

Watling is keeping for Northern Districts against Canterbury in their match at Whangarei, scoring four runs and taking a catch in the first innings. He also took six catches and made a duck and 45 against Auckland in the previous round.

“BJ’s going really nicely,” Hesson said. “He’s in the middle of his second four-day game and pain free.”