Bennett knocks on the door

Break the barn door down or hope someone forgets to bowl that’s how you make the Black Caps, according to Hamish Bennett.

It’s hard to know what breaking the barn door down means in a cricketing sense, but you imagine it’s something like what Bennett is doing to Plunket Shield batting lineups.

The 30-year-old Wellington Firebirds opening bowler is near unplayable in the four-day competition this season, with 27 wickets in just four games.

He’s taking wickets at an average of just 9.4, and at a miserly 2.46 runs per over. Every 23 balls he bowls, Bennett is taking a wicket - the barn door is close to being pulverised.

‘‘I’m feeling pretty good at the moment,’’ Bennett said. ‘‘It’s been a crazy start to the season. A little bit like, you have to pinch yourself.

‘‘I haven’t bowled as consistently as this over four games before. I might have bowled better in spells, but this is the most consistent I’ve been.’’

Despite his fine figures, Bennett hasn’t heard a peep from New Zealand selectors. He wasn’t picked in the New Zealand A squad for a tour match against the West Indies, with Adam Milne, Lockie Ferguson and Scott Kuggeleijn preferred as the pacemen.

With Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner and Matt Henry also in the mix, and Seth Rance not considered through injury, Bennett may be as low as ninth in Mike Hesson’s bowling power rankings.

‘‘I haven’t heard anything,’’ Bennett said. ‘‘I wasn’t picked for India, so I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be picked again. To be fair it’s a pretty tough situation at the moment, with the bowling stocks we have. You’ve either got to break the barn door down, or hope someone completely forgets how to bowl.’’

Bennett admitted that in the past he had let thoughts of national selection get into his head and affect his form on the field. Older and much wiser, that isn’t happening now. Instead he’s focused on implementing the simple bowling plans the Firebirds have in place for the Plunket Shield.

‘‘It’s not complicated. We just bowl line and length, wicket to wicket, as you say.

‘‘In the modern game, batsmen like to feel bat on ball and scoring boundaries. We’ve looked to cut that out and frustrate them, and that leads to mistakes. It’s simple, really.’’

While Bennett has been flying, fellow former Canterbury man Logan van Beek hasn’t been far behind. With 24 wickets at 13.62, van Beek has been the relentless second helping to Bennett’s main course in the Firebirds attack.

Bowling with pace to match or exceed Bennett, he hasn’t let batsmen off the hook after surviving the opening spell.

‘‘Sometimes I’ll be at fine leg watching guys like Logan bowl and I’ll think, ‘s..., that’s quick’. I hope I’m looking that sharp from the sidelines,’’ Bennett said.