Boult, Southee give England a hard day’s night
OPINION: What took New Zealand Cricket so long, and when is the next one?
Watching the lethal Trent Boult-Tim Southee swing duo spring back to life against a clueless England, home fans must have wondered why they had to wait until March 2018 for tests to take on a pink hue.
NZC must lock this day-night test in as an annual event, at the height of summer rather than an autumn addon. Why not twice a summer, making up exactly half New Zealand’s meagre ration of four home tests amid a white ball bombardment. Mt Maunganui is an obvious choice for the next one.
Test cricket in New Zealand needed this. Powerhouse opponents, for one, and something different to spark up some interest. A shame it was so late in the season. The sparse attendance in Hamilton for Pakistan pre-Christmas was embarrassing, and while this was not a stampede at the Auckland turnstiles it was a good start.
As Boult and Southee bamboozled England’s lineup in four deliveries more than a Twenty20 innings, newsroom cynics gazed at televisions in wonderment, and were regaled by physics lessons explaining what makes a pink ball swing. That extra layer of paint and lacquer works wonders for the tired old red version of the Kookaburra.
Sure, this looked an extreme case, perhaps too extreme for some who’d endured a 100-day drought of five-day cricket and were happy reclining to a more sedate tempo.
But why not bring the swing men back into the game? Cricket is so loaded towards batsmen these days, and it seemed an age since Boult and Southee were both charging in at nearly 140kmh, making quality batsmen hop about and snaring all 10 between them. In Adelaide in 2015 they
Why not bring the swing men back into the game?
so nearly bowled New Zealand to victory over Australia with the pinky, too.
It wasn’t extreme and unplayable. Boult’s radar was on, full and straight, the ball tailing late and just enough. Alastair Cook’s outside edge, Joe Root’s inside edge, the two England kingpins were knocked over. It was challenging but there was no variable bounce, minimal seam movement, and certainly not worth 58 all out. Creasebound Englishmen prodded forward and failed a stern test of batsmanship, as Kane Williamson showed them how later with soft hands under lights.
Then there was the Eden Park factor. Root said he would have batted first on winning the toss, and Black Caps skipper Williamson was 50-50. Bowling first was a punt, even if the short history of day-night tests shows most wickets fall in the first session.
At the 2015 Cricket World Cup there, with the white ball, Boult tore through Australia on a brilliantly fine day on what looked a great pitch. Mitchell Starc did the same and New Zealand snuck home by one wicket in a thriller. Things happen at Eden Park which, despite all its monotonous critics, is still the most absorbing cricket venue in the country for pure entertainment value. Think of the previous two tests it hosted against England and India, too.
NZC boss David White hoped for between 12,000-15,000 per day at Eden Park. The day one crowd was a skinny 10,540 on a stunning afternoon, even if the night markets and atmosphere on the outer oval looked bang on. Still, 10,000 at a day’s test cricket in New Zealand is unheard of these days.
It might be the least favourite format for administrators, and loses money, but the players remain test cricket’s biggest fans and if something like this lures punters and viewers back, then pick up the pink ball and run with it again, and again.