Wicket duel for Boult, Southee
Let the pace race begin.
New Zealand’s strike bowling duo Tim Southee and Trent Boult gambolled onto the Basin Reserve yesterday like spring lambs, on return for tomorrow’s home cricket season opener against Sri Lanka.
They were greeted by the traditional emerald strip two days out from the first test, with the promise of much more pace and bounce than they extracted during their desert slog in the United Arab Emirates as the Black Caps beat Pakistan 2-1.
Now it’s five home tests – two against Sri Lanka then three against Bangladesh – by the end of which Southee and Boult will likely have moved past Chris Martin into third and fourth spots on New Zealand’s test wicket charts.
Currently Southee’s 224 from 61 tests has him two ahead of his mate and partner in crime Boult (222 from 57). Martin’s career figure of 233 wickets in 71 tests sits enticingly close, with only Sir Richard Hadlee and Daniel Vettori ahead of them.
Boult will likely get first crack with the new Kookaburra if Kane Williamson wins the toss and bowls first tomorrow, against lefthanded opening duo Dimuth Karunaratne and Danushka Gunathilaka, the end depending on whether the northerly or southerly breeze is assisting swing over his left shoulder.
Asked if he’d take first ball – as he did in the third test against Pakistan – senior man Southee said: ‘‘I wouldn’t imagine so. I don’t think Trent will give up the wind.
‘‘He’s done extremely well at this ground, as Neil [Wagner] has. It’s nice to be back in conditions we’re used to. We’ve come from a place that wasn’t easy for pace bowlers so there was a bit of a spring in the step of the fast bowlers anyway.’’
Southee is wise enough to know looks can be deceiving at the Basin, too, and his test average of 46 at the ground compared with 31 overall tells a story. Boult’s average of 28.41 in Wellington is a few decimal points outside his career mark and Wagner’s 31.50 is three runs above his career figure.
While nearly every captain opts to bowl on winning the toss, the bowlers need to get their lengths right and make things happen.
‘‘It’s nice to see some grass on the wicket but I remember a couple of years ago Bangladesh ended up scoring 500-andsomething in the first innings,’’ Southee said.
Still, New Zealand won that test against Bangladesh despite conceding 595-8. In fact the last four Basin tests have been won by the side bowling first; New Zealand beating Bangladesh and West Indies as well as losing to Australia and South Africa.
New Zealand beat Sri Lanka last time they met at the Basin, too, in January 2015 by 193 runs after trailing on the first innings.
Sri Lanka remain one of Southee and Boult’s favourite opponents. In six tests against them, Southee has 33 wickets at 18.60 and Boult 26 at 22.38. Stretching back to Colombo 2012 the pair played their parts in five straight test victories over Sri Lanka, four of those at home.
The celebrations in Abu Dhabi when New Zealand completed that third test victory remain fresh.
‘‘It’s something the group is very proud of. A lot of good sides have gone to the UAE and haven’t been able to tip Pakistan up. We know we can’t let that overhang into our home summer and start afresh in different conditions.’’
At a glance Top-five test wicket-takers for New Zealand: ❚ Sir Richard Hadlee: 431 at 22.29 (86 tests) ❚ Daniel Vettori: 361 at 34.15 (112 tests) ❚ Chris Martin: 233 at 33.81 (71 tests) ❚ Tim Southee: 224 at 30.70 (61 tests) ❚ Trent Boult: 222 at 28.14 (57 tests) Southee and Boult against Sri Lanka: ❚ Southee: 6 tests, 33 wickets at 18.60 ❚ Boult: 6 tests, 26 wickets at 22.38