Pakistan star ‘can get better’
Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur is backing his legspin wizard Yasir Shah to get even better as he prepares to break an 82-year-old test bowling record held by a Kiwi.
The assertion that Shah can only improve may cause nervous twitches in the Black Caps camp as captain Kane Williamson and his fellow batsmen try to find ways to combat him in Monday’s test series decider in Abu Dhabi.
They face a few days of team meetings, video analysis and net batting after Pakistan’s innings and 16 run win inside four days in the second test in Dubai, in which Shah snared 14 wickets.
Shah, 32, still mourning the death of his mother earlier this month, extended his stunning record to 195 wickets from 32 tests at an average of 28, with his 15th and 16th five-wicket bags.
New Zealand-born Australian legspinner Clarrie Grimmett remains the fastest bowler to 200 wickets, getting there in his 36th test in Johannesburg in February 1936. With five more scalps in Abu Dhabi, Shah will beat Grimmett’s mark by three tests.
‘‘We knew he had a big performance in him. That first innings, there was that spell of about half an hour that was some of the best legspin bowling you’ll ever see,’’ Arthur said.
‘‘The drift, the pace, the spin, it was phenomenal. This is the best rhythm I’ve seen him have, and I think he’ll just get better and better from here.’’
That half-hour turned an evenly poised test on its head as Shah took a triple-wicket maiden, including Tom Latham, Ross Taylor and Henry Nicholls who were the Black Caps’ three leading scorers in the second innings.
New Zealand lost 7-11 in 39 balls and it was essentially game over, all out for 90 and a deficit of 328. In contrast Latham, Taylor and Nicholls lifted significantly second time around, showed more intent and made Shah look distinctly average at times.
Said Williamson of Shah’s first innings spell of 8-41: ‘‘It was brilliant. Some of the deliveries he bowled to guys, their first or second delivery, were very difficult to negotiate. To do that so early in the innings is a big challenge for us.’’
In New Zealand’s first test win by four runs in Abu Dhabi, Shah took eight for the match but was overshadowed by left-arm orthodox Ajaz Patel on debut who took seven and spun them to a shock victory on day four.
‘‘It was a great game in Abu Dhabi, one of our great test wins. To come here, it wasn’t our best performance by any means,’’ Williamson said.
‘‘But we know how difficult Pakistan are to play in their conditions. It’s important we learn from this experience. Pakistan will be full of confidence, hopefully we can build on some of the confidence we took from the second half of this game.’’
Aweek ago New Zealand cricket fans were still kicking themselves for going to bed early, as the Black Caps basked in one of their best comeback test victories.
If a week is a long time in politics, it can be an eternity in a test cricket series.
Now New Zealand and Pakistan reconvene in Abu Dhabi on Monday (7pm NZT) for the series decider at 1-1 and the hosts in the box seat after a crushing innings victory inside four days in Dubai.
Such a sharp momentum swing, and the respective confidence levels of the two sides after New Zealand’s stunning collapse for 90, will make Pakistan awfully tough to hold out.
Here’s four things the Black Caps must address as they dust themselves off and chase a first away series win against Pakistan since 1969.
There won’t be kneejerk axings but the balance of the team needs a tweak and it means no place for Colin de Grandhomme.
It seems like pick on Colin week, given he bowled well on the first morning, but his batting confidence is so bereft on the UAE pitches he looks a walking wicket. Hasan Ali and Yasir Shah have his number and zeroed in on his defensive holes.
It leaves two options: bring in a batsman or an extra bowler at No 7, with the Black Caps badly missing allrounders Mitchell Santner and Todd Astle. Tom Blundell (test average 68) is the only backup and should get the gig, purely to bolster the middle order after three successive collapses.
Four bowlers and Kane Williamson will have to do the job. Of Trent Boult, Neil Wagner, Ajaz Patel and Ish Sodhi – who combined for 18 wickets in the first test – the latter looks most under threat.
Williamson is sometimes reluctant to use his gifted legspinner and the Pakistan batsmen have gone after him but Sodhi’s presence in that winning team and crucial double blow in Abu Dhabi make a case for him to remain.
If not that leaves Will Somerville, Tim Southee or Matt Henry to come in. Offspinner Somerville would be a gamble on debut but one worth taking if the pitch is tailor-made for Shah’s legspin, while senior man Southee is fresh and brings experience in the conditions.
The Black Caps’ second innings, 312 all out in 112.3 overs, at least eased some mental scarring from a day previous as they plot a plan