Black Caps’ silver lining
Bowlers get to put feet up early ahead of their top test task
The grey London clouds that washed out day three of the first test against England had a silver lining for the Black Caps.
To keep the colour theme going, a day with their feet up will ensure New Zealand’s bowlers don’t go into the red in terms of energy expenditure ahead of the most important assignment this month — the World Test Championship against India in Southampton.
The bowlers, however, enjoyed an energising first session of day four overnight, taking 4-53 to have England 164-6 at lunch.
Kyle Jamieson got the Black Caps off to a perfect start when he had Joe Root caught by Ross Taylor at first slip off the first delivery of the day.
Tim Southee then came to the fore, taking three wickets for no runs in the space of nine deliveries.
He had Ollie Pope trapped leg before, then Dan Lawrence caught by Colin de Grandhomme at third slip before sending debutant James Bracey’s off stump cart-wheeling.
While it now looks implausible for the Black Caps to beat England at Lord’s for the first time this century, bowling coach Shane Jurgensen didn’t seem too concerned at that missed opportunity.
He pointed out the biggest worry for the team in going to England was playing three tests in three weeks.
As long as the Kiwi batsmen can hold up their end of the deal and ensure their second turn at bat lasts the best part of a day, it seems the bowlers will have to run in for only one full England innings.
“We’re certainly watching the workloads of the bowlers,” Jurgensen said, “the guys that are playing and the guys that aren’t — making sure everyone’s getting enough work done, but obviously not too much.
“Having missed a day, it potentially stops too many overs being bowled, and we certainly didn’t want that in our first test — the first test, we always worry that the boys might bowl too much. So that’s one little positive we might have.”
The second test at Edgbaston in Birmingham starts on Thursday, four days after the first test ends.
But if the workload becomes too much, the Black Caps have three other seamers in the squad — Matt Henry, Doug Bracewell and Jacob Duffy.
Trent Boult has also landed in London after flying from New Zealand on Thursday, and while he was keen to be involved in the second test, the Black Caps have made it clear that he will play only the world championship match, starting June 18.
Meanwhile, Southee — speaking to the media ahead of the washedout third day — said hard work in the nets was one of the keys to Devon Conway’s magical debut double hundred.
“Bowling to him in the nets, he works extremely hard, he’s always willing to learn, tap into the batters in our side and continue to ask questions.
“He’s a keen learner and everyone is just extremely proud and pleased for him, as I’m sure his family and friends back home as well are over the moon for what has been such a dream couple of days for him.
“Just his discipline and his hunger to bat long periods of time. We’ve seen it in all his games. He just loves batting and he can hit in funny areas but he can also play some incredible shots as well.” said Southee.