Facing Tigers is a trip down memory lane
It’s no small thing to take 383 matches worth of experience out of your top order — not when Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson have accrued 14,747 one-day international runs and scored 34 centuries between them in the process.
It’s not a trip into the unknown for New Zealand as they start their three-match ODI series against Bangladesh in Dunedin this morning, but a trip into the can’t remember.
The last time New Zealand lined up in an ODI without Williamson or Taylor, their world-class No 3-4 batting punch, was in October 2014, a rain-ruined match against South Africa that featured the likes of Dean Brownlie, Corey Anderson, the Mccullum brothers, Luke Ronchi and Mitchell Mcclenaghan. It reads like a different era. In many respects it feels like the start of a new era at University Oval, although it must be hastily noted that there is still plenty more runs left in the bats of Taylor, who could be available as early as Tuesday in Christchurch, and Williamson, who will miss the rest of the summer to heal a nagging elbow injury.
This has opened the door for Will Young and Devon Conway to make their long-awaited one-day international debuts. In Conway’s case, the long wait was to fulfil residency requirements, in Young’s it was a combination of untimely injuries and him having the misfortune to be a nearly man in an era containing New Zealand’s greatest limited overs batsmen.
Young has given a glimpse of his talent in the test arena, while Conway has had more chance to demonstrate his range of skills across 11 T20IS, including a matchwinning 99 not out against Australia in Christchurch.
“The last few seasons [Conway] has scored a truckload of runs in all formats for Wellington,” said stand-in captain Tom Latham, who will be playing his 100th ODI. “We’ve seen when he’s come into the side he’s made every post a winner in terms of the T20 games.”
Also pressing for a 50-over debut is Daryl Mitchell, who effectively replaces all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme.
Mitchell has made a hugely impressive start to his test career and has a fine List A record. His batting technique and temperament look tailor-made for international cricket but it would be fair to say his bowling is yet to convince it can withstand the jump in class. In that respect he is similar to Jimmy Neesham, the man he is presumably going head-to-head with for the No 6 slot in the starting XI.
“It’s a great opportunity for this group,” Latham said. For Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal, “opportunity” was the key word. They have a rotten record in New Zealand but with a number of young, promising quicks and a strong, Daniel Vettori-mentored spin attack, they could see this as a chance to open their account here.
Despite the obvious talents of Conway and Young, they couldn’t help but be comforted by the absence of Williamson and, for the first game in Dunedin at least, Taylor.
“We don’t have a great record in New Zealand but this is an opportunity to turn things around,” Tamim said.
Since New Zealand tied a onedayer at Lord’s in July of 2019, a match only reluctantly mentioned, they have played just four 50-over matches in 21 months, winning three.
In the 21 months before unmentionable match, they had played 35. So while a one-day series against Bangladesh at the end of summer is not normally something to cherish, the novelty value of 50-over cricket combined with the absence of some stalwarts, should keep interest piqued.