Shakedown for the World Cup getting serious
The Black Caps squad to face India in a five-match ODI series gave a hint to who will make the 15-strong World Cup squad later this year in England.
But there are still eight ODIs left in the New Zealand summer for players to impress selectors. Here’s a look at which players are in the running.
Dead-certs
Ten players can put all other plans on hold from May 30 to hopefully mid-July as they’ll be gracing the likes of Lord’s, Trent Bridge, the Oval, Old Trafford and the County Ground in Taunton.
● Kane Williamson (captain)
● Ross Taylor
● Trent Boult
● Martin Guptill
● Colin Munro
● Tim Southee
● Lockie Ferguson
● Henry Nicholls
● Tom Latham (wicketkeeper)
● Mitchell Santner
Only injury could deny any of those players a trip to England. That leaves five spots left — most likely two all-rounders, a pace bowler, a spin option, a second wicketkeeper and or a specialist batsman.
All-rounders
Two of these players will probably go:
● Colin de Grandhomme
● James Neesham
● Doug Bracewell
● Corey Anderson
De Grandhomme probably leads the pack but he needs to perform against India, especially with the ball. In 22 ODIs he has a bowling average of 50.07 and has career best figures of 2-40, so he isn’t a wicket-taker but his economy rate of 5.16 isn’t bad. He also has just one 50 to his name with the bat. He’s proven in the test arena he can get quick runs but strangely struggled to do so against the white ball.
Neesham was unlucky to miss out in 2015 with Grant Elliott edging him out of the squad. At the start of the summer it seemed unlikely he’d be in contention but an impressive domestic show followed by a superb series against Sri Lanka has him right in the mix. His late hitting near the end of an innings is what the Black Caps lack most.
Anderson is facing a race against time. He’s only just got back to bowling following a back injury, taking two wickets in a Big Bash win over Canterbury last night. Had a decent World Cup in 2015 taking some key wickets. He’d obviously need to make the squad for the Bangladesh series next month to have any chance.
Bracewell hasn’t played an ODI since December 2017 but was a member of the squad for the series sweep of Sri Lanka so he must remain in consideration. Should get a chance against India. He proved valuable in the Twenty20 victory with 44 at No 7 that saved the New Zealand innings.
Spin bowler
Ish Sodhi or Todd Astle.
That’s really the only decision for the second spin bowling spot. Santner returns to face India after more than six months out following a knee injury and slots straight back in as the number one spinner. Astle is regarded as a better batsman and fielder but Sodhi has proven he can be such as asset especially in the shortest form of the game. Astle should get a chance against India in the final two games.
Black Caps coach Gary Stead hadn’t ruled out taking three spinners.
“Haven’t ruled that out. I think the spin bowling stocks is something we’re lucky at in New Zealand at the moment. Astle, Sodhi and Santner we’ve got three guys who have performed well. I’ve always been a fan of leg spinners because I think they can still spin the ball both ways and provide a real point of difference,” he said.
Sodhi’s wrong ’un may give him the upperhand going by his coach’s comments.
Wicketkeeper
Tim Seifert or Glenn Phillips.
It’s likely selectors will take two keepers however there is the option to use Nicholls as the back-up keeper, he held that role for the 2016 World T20, and take an extra bowler or batsman. It’s unclear whether Nicholls even owns a set of keeping gloves last standing behind the stumps in the State of Origin game in February 2016.
Stead said he’s open to using Nicholls as a keeper in England.
“It’s a possibility. Henry’s had a little bit of keeping experience in the past. That’s a selection question when we sit down to finalise the squad of 15 and work out the balance we need,” he said.
Seifert or Phillips are the likely options if they go with a specialist.
Seifert got the nod for the recent Sri Lanka series and didn’t exactly grasp the opportunity.
Phillips has yet to play an ODI for New Zealand having made 11 Twenty20 appearances but fair to say it hasn’t made the most of those games with one decent score of 56 against West Indies.
Pace bowler
Matt Henry or Adam Milne
Perennial man on the bubble Henry had a great stint in England county cricket for Kent so is suited to the conditions. He got the late callup in 2015 to replace Milne to play in the semifinal and final. Milne has been out with a heel and hamstring injury but is set to return next week with Stead saying he’s back at near 100 per cent. If fully fit he should get a chance against Bangladesh and would be a serious contender.