O’Rourke impresses as Black Caps grab Twenty20 series lead
A World Cup call-up may be a stride too far for Will O’Rourke.
But the pace bowler again displayed the obvious potential he possesses to be a star for the Black Caps in all three formats.
O’Rourke took 3-27 from his four overs as New Zealand grabbed a surprise 2-1 lead in their five-match Twenty20 series against Pakistan in Lahore yesterday.
He got excellent support from fellow quick Ben Sears (2-27 from four) as the visitors scored a four-run victory, defending 178-7 batting first.
O’Rourke only made his T20 International debut in game three and has clearly found his feet quickly as he picked up the wicket of home side captain Babar Azam in his opening over, courtesy of a slower ball and a sharp catch from Dean Foxcroft at short cover.
The 22-year-old conceded just four boundaries from his 24 deliveries, and while he was fortunate to get the scalp of Babar’s opening partner Saim Ayub, he later drew a false shot from Iftikhar Ahmed to end a dangerous fifth-wicket partnership with Black Caps’ white-ball nemesis in Pakistan, Fakhar Zaman, who made 61 from 45 balls.
Should Adam Milne – a late withdrawal from the squad for the series – be fit for selection for the T20 World Cup to be hosted in the West Indies and United States in June, O’Rourke is still likely to be behind Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson, Milne and Matt Henry in the selection stakes for the seamers and swing bowlers.
The New Zealand squad for the tournament will be named on Monday, with the final game of the current series on tomorrow morning (NZ time) in Lahore.
But, as his nine wickets on test debut against South Africa in Hamilton in February showed, O’Rourke looms as regular selection in the Black Caps 1st XI in any or
all of the three formats in the near future.
After an awful drubbing in the second game of the series – the first game was abandoned due to rain – the second-string New Zealand squad has responded strongly to ensure the least they will emerge with from the tour is a shared series.
Opener Tim Robinson made his maiden T20I half-century in just his fourth innings.
The 21-year-old took advantage of the absence of quality quicks Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah as the hosts made five changes to their XI, hitting two sixes and four fours in his 51 off 36 balls. He and Wellington team-mate Tom Blundell (28 from 15) put on 56 for the first wicket in five overs, with Blundell getting a game as fellow opener/keeper Tim Seifert was ruled out with back stiffness.
Dean Foxcroft had three sixes but no other boundaries in his 34 from 26 balls at No 3, while game three match-winner Mark Chapman fell for eight to a sensational catch one-handed from Shadab Khan at wide mid-off. Pakistan needed 18 from the final over of their chase, bowled by Jimmy Neesham, and six from the last ball, but could only manage a single.