Testing times: Seamers 71, spinners 0
Come in spinner – what a New Zealand tweaker would give for a wicket in home conditions.
It’s been lost in the Black Caps’ test dominance against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh this summer, but it’s been 82 overs of spin and four tests since a Kiwi spinner last struck in New Zealand.
Since legspinner Todd Astle captured the wicket of England tailender James Anderson to secure victory in the day-night test at Eden Park on March 26 last year, it’s been a long drought.
Kiwi pacemen Tim Southee (26 wickets), Trent Boult (23), Neil Wagner (15) and medium pacer Colin de Grandhomme (seven) have combined for 71 wickets in the four home tests against England in Christchurch in April, the
Black Cap wicket takers at home since a spinner last struck:
❚ Tim Southee: 26 wickets
❚ Trent Boult: 23
❚ Neil Wagner: 15
❚ Colin de Grandhomme: 7
two tests against Sri Lanka in December, and last week’s rout of Bangladesh in Hamilton.
Unless frontline spinner Astle can snap that run in the remaining Bangladesh tests in Wellington and Christchurch, or parttime offspinner Kane Williamson chimes in, the Black Cap quicks could reach 100 wickets in succession before the spinners strike.
With New Zealand test pitches tailor-made for the fast bowlers, life isn’t easy for Kiwi spinners.
Ish Sodhi started the spinners’ rot against England at Hagley Oval almost a year ago, going wicketless from 16 overs across both innings.
After impressing in New Zealand’s 2-1 away test series win over Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates in November, Ajaz Patel was retained for the Sri Lankan home tests with Mitchell Santner recovering from offseason knee surgery and Astle also sidelined.
Patel wasn’t helped by his seamer team-mates ripping through Sri Lanka in the first innings in both matches. He bowled just three overs in the first innings at the Basin Reserve and wasn’t required until the second innings in Christchurch.
In the second innings, Patel was used more regularly, but couldn’t make a breakthrough. Across 40 overs in the second innings in both matches he didn’t take a wicket, conceding 67 runs.
Astle continued the spinners’ struggles against Bangladesh in Hamilton.
He was only needed for five overs in Bangladesh’s first innings as they were rolled for 234 in 59.2 overs on day one, finishing with 0-10.
The Cantabrian couldn’t make an impact in favourable conditions later in the test, going wicketless from 15 overs in the second dig, when he conceded 58 runs.
Retained for the final two matches in the series, Astle will be desperate to make an impression and end an ugly statistic for New Zealand spinners.