Selection offers new spin on Black Caps test lineup
For a second successive home test series, New Zealand’s cricket selectors have had to tell one of their United Arab Emirates spin headliners they’re not required.
This time it’s Ajaz Patel who misses out after playing five successive tests, with legspinner Todd Astle recalled to face Bangladesh in the first test in Hamilton starting on Thursday.
In December it was offspinner Will Somerville, fresh off taking 7-127 on debut in the Black Caps’ series-clinching victory over Pakistan on the Abu Dhabi dustbowl, who was not required for two home tests against Sri Lanka.
Now left-armer Patel, who took five wickets in that decider after a man of the match 7-123 on debut in the first test, misses out after bowling 43 wicketless overs against Sri Lanka in Wellington and Christchurch. It was New Zealand’s fourth straight test series victory.
The luckless Astle is fit again after injury ruled him out of the UAE tour and the early part of the home summer. The last of the 32-year-old’s three tests was the day-nighter against England in Auckland 11 months ago, before he was scratched from the next test with injury.
‘‘Spinners don’t usually get spinfriendly conditions in New Zealand and that’s one of the reasons we’re looking at Todd now,’’ selector Gavin Larsen said.
‘‘Legspinners tend to get more bounce and they have the box of tricks, they spin the ball both ways and bring in both edges. That’s the primary reason for giving Toddy the go. And he adds balance for us because he can bat up around No 8.’’
Asked about Patel, leading wickettaker in Plunket Shield the past three seasons, Larsen said: ‘‘Very unlucky. He’s done nothing wrong.
‘‘He’s taken it very well, very professionally, and he’s keen to understand if there’s still a future, which there is. I’d stress we believe we have four high quality spinners in our test mix which is exciting and challenging from a selection standpoint.’’
That list includes Astle, Patel, Somerville and Mitchell Santner, who will vie for probably three spots on New Zealand’s next test tour to spin-friendly Sri Lanka in August.
When prompted, Larsen added Ish Sodhi to that list, but, clearly, the legspinner is seen as a white-ball bowler only in the Black Caps mix for now after both Patel and Somerville went past him in the UAE.
The last of Santner’s 17 tests was against West Indies in December, 2017, and, after making a measured return from major knee surgery is still in the mix in red-ball cricket.
Otherwise it was an unchanged 13-man squad, as New Zealand again go into a home series as short-priced favourites against Bangladesh.
Central Stags batsman Will Young retains his spot in the squad as batting cover but will need an injury among a settled top-five to get a debut.