Jamieson can be a T20 force: coach
A second stretch limousine ride up Wellington’s Mt Victoria in the space of 10 months seemed fitting for Kyle Jamieson, New Zealand Cricket’s latest rock star.
Now, after a few days off in Auckland, Jamieson will return to Black Caps Twenty20 colours against Pakistan with coach Gary Stead tipping the 2.04m giant will make a big impact in the shortest format, too.
Jamieson was named player of the series for his deeds in the Black Caps’ 2-0 test victory over West Indies, both wins by an innings in Hamil- ton and Welling- ton.
The 25-year-old’s numbers after four tests were phenomenal: 20 wickets at 14.55 and 164 runs at 54.66, even if Stead insisted Jamieson was not yet ready to bat higher than No 8 in the test side.
Jamieson’s deeds with the ball in Wellington, when he took 7-77 for the match, moved former captain Brendon McCullum to say on Spark Sport he hadn’t been as excited about a newcomer since a young Kane Williamson.
The man himself squeezed into the limo on Monday for five laps of the country’s biggest traffic roundabout then a cruise to the summit, alongside Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Neil Wagner, Daryl Mitchell, BJ Watling and bowling coach Shane Jurgensen.
The traditional ride for bowlers and wicketkeeper to celebrate a Wellington test win was established in 1998, and carried Jamieson for the first time after his debut against India in February.
Stead said Jamieson was levelheaded and wouldn’t get carried away with the plaudits.
Before he gets a chance to extend his test record at Bay Oval on Boxing Day, Jamieson will add to his two T20 appearances in games two and three against Pakistan on Sunday (Hamilton) and Tuesday (Napier).
‘‘Every format he’s played he’s made an impact so far. Against West Indies [in T20] he had a reasonably difficult first game which many bowlers do at Eden Park, then turned it around at the Mount and had a fantastic match there as well,’’ Stead said.
‘‘We all know T20 can be fickle but Kyle has some attributes and skills that other people don’t have. Just simply being 6 foot 8 and delivering the ball from about 9 feet is different in itself. You’ve seen many batsmen when he gets it right, they struggle with that. That’s his competitive advantage and I hope he can take in some of the form I’ve seen in Super Smash over the last three or four years.’’
Along with sharp pace and steep bounce from his lofty release point, Jamieson’s ability to produce a devastating inswinger then take the ball away from the righthander was the most impressive aspect.
Formerly an opening batsman at first XI level, Jamieson continues to move towards test allrounder status of the injured Colin de Grandhomme or Daryl Mitchell, although Stead added a note of caution.
‘‘Kyle’s making every post a winner and the thing that impresses me most about him is his ability to want to keep getting better.’’