Elliott, McClenaghan hit form on Black Caps return
The only headaches facing the Black Caps are selection-related for the first one-day cricket international against England, after Grant Elliott and Mitchell McClenaghan roared back into gear in Leicester.
New Zealand eye the five-match series opener in Birmingham on Wednesday (1am NZ time) with an inform squad and the scope to mix and match, after their 198-run stroll over Leicestershire.
World Cup star Elliott and his Wellington mate Luke Ronchi each scored rapid centuries in a fifth-wicket stand of 221 in 25 overs, to boost the total to 373-5 in shades of their world record stand in Dunedin in January.
Then McClenaghan, who played a solitary match in New Zealand’s run to the cup final then helped Mumbai Indians to an Indian Premier League title with some blistering spells, snared 4-31 to push his claims.
Depending on how Trent Boult and Tim Southee came through a heavy test series workload, McClenaghan will appeal as someone to unleash on England. And in the spin department. Mitchell Santner impressed by taking 2-34 off 10 overs and generating turn on a pitch not renowned as spinfriendly. With Daniel Vettori now retired, there may be a temptation to play left-armer Santner as the allrounder alongside Nathan McCullum, depending on the dryness of the pitch and the state of Corey Anderson’s back injury that sidelined him in Leeds.
‘‘I did say to the boys we’ve finally got a left-armer who actually turns the ball,’’ Elliott quipped.
‘‘He bowled a peach of a delivery to get the stumping. It was nice he managed to get some overs in and that’ll go a long way to pushing for a place in the team. It’s a pitch [Edgbaston] that does turn a bit and everyone who’s here is a chance to play.’’
They’ll face a new-look England side missing World Cup and test frontliners James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Moeen Ali, Ian Bell and Gary Ballance, and captained by Eoin Morgan who endured a horror tournament.
‘‘I always think a team that has a new bunch of lads together; the most difficult thing is getting the combinations right but you do get a lot of hunger and a lot of guys who want to cement their place and that’s always dangerous,’’ Elliott said.
New Zealand’s batting is in fine fettle after Ross Taylor (77 off 62 balls including four sixes) found the middle regularly then the old Wellington firm reunited at a tricky 152-5 after openers Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum fell for single figure scores. Elliott and Ronchi weren’t far off their 267 stand against Sri Lanka as they blazed away, each scoring 106 not out with Elliott facing 79 balls and Ronchi 76.
‘‘Normally you see a lot more sixes from him. It was another great innings from Luke,’’ Elliott said.
‘‘It just works quite easily for us because Luke is very aggressive and he can take the pressure off me. I just feed him as much of the strike as possible then towards the end I can have a bit of fun.’’
Both cleared the rope twice with Elliott enjoying his work at his new home ground after joining up with Leicestershire last month.
Leicestershire were then rolled for 175 in 42.3 overs, with McClenaghan sharing the new ball with Ben Wheeler (1-36) and incumbent Matt Henry more expensive in taking 1-49 off 10 overs. It left a tricky call for pace bowling spots with Henry probably still in the boxseat after his efforts in the semifinal and final in March.