Sodhi stars in return from test wilderness
The Black Caps legspinner did all he could to produce a victory in the first test in Karachi, recording his best match figures. Ian Anderson reports.
With his best test performance, Ish Sodhi may have rapidly climbed the Black Caps’ spin bowling rankings from No.3 to No.1.
In his first test appearance in four years, the legspinner took 6-86 in Pakistan’s second innings of the drawn first test in Karachi to almost bowl the visitors to victory.
The 30-year-old was the last of the three spin options new test captain Tim Southee turned to on day one and Sodhi struggled for control in taking 2-87 from 21 overs.
But as New Zealand pushed for just their third test triumph in Pakistan, Sodhi was the side’s ace, and would have spearheaded a memorable victory with a little more luck and support.
Black Caps bowling coach Shane Jurgensen said Sodhi was a constant threat on a lifeless wicket.
‘‘It was a fantastic performance, considering the first innings was tough for bowlers for both [teams] to take wickets.
‘‘For him to adapt and make the adjustments in the second innings . . . he was extremely accurate and it was awesome to see the way he was bowling. He was a threat the whole innings.
‘‘Some of the deliveries that he bowled to take the wickets were absolutely fantastic and really great for him for all the hard work he’s done for a long period of time to get this opportunity.
‘‘He created pressure over a long period of time, I think he got a lot of help too from the guys at the other end – Braces [Michael Bracewell] was awesome too, still young in his career in test cricket to create the pressure from the other end.
‘‘In these conditions, the legspinner I think has that bit of advantage over the other bowlers . . . but you’ve also got to execute and I think Ish was extremely accurate. It’s really exciting.’’
Southee also had high praise for Sodhi, who made 65 with the bat in New Zealand’s first innings, combining with Kane Williamson to add 159 for the seventh wicket; allowing the tourists to apply the pressure on Pakistan over the final four sessions.
‘‘Not only his bowling but I think his partnership and contribution with the bat was exceptional.
‘‘For him to come back in and have an impact straight away was very pleasing and he can be extremely proud of his test match,’’ Southee said.
Jurgensen said he was proud of the bowling unit taking 18 wickets on a wicket that greatly favoured the batters, but some critics would have expected New Zealand to have been able to dismiss the hosts on the final day to produce a rare away win.
When England won the third test in Karachilast month to seal a 3-0 series sweep, they took 16 wickets with spin when bowling the hosts out twice, including a
five-wicket bag to teenage debutant Rehan Ahmed.
New Zealand left-armer Ajaz Patel had taken all 10 wickets in a test innings a year ago – and 14 in the match – but had bowled only two overs in test cricket this year before day one in Karachi. Bracewell only took up off-spin late in his domestic career and had bowled just 47.4 overs in tests prior to the encounter.
Patel was a disappointment in Karachi, unable to apply pressure regularly on the final day, ending with match figures of 2-201.
Veteran left-arm pace bowler Neil Wagner also had little impact, taking 1-73 in the match and only being asked to contribute three overs in the second innings. New Zealand are without Trent Boult for the two-test series, with the swing bowler opting out of a New Zealand Cricket contract in August and choosing to play in the Big Bash League in Australia.
But Jurgensen felt the visitors had adjusted extremely well in their first test series in Pakistan in almost 20 years.
‘‘Coming into the subcontinent, a place that’s always been a challenge for us . . . the conditions we met are certainly foreign to what we come across in New Zealand.
‘‘Testament to our batters – I thought it was an outstanding performance and I think throughout the game we were in a position of strength. Pakistan certainly had their opportunities to maybe take the game away from us or have a more even game, but I think if you look at the game overall, we certainly were ahead and we created those opportunities to potentially push for a victory today but it wasn’t to be, and that’s what happens.’’
The second and final test of the series starts in Karachi tomorrow.
‘‘It was a fantastic performance, considering the first innings was tough for bowlers for both [teams] to take wickets.’’
Shane Jurgensen