Black Caps IPL watch: Who starred, who stumbled
Arecord 12 New Zealand players were sold at February’s mega auction for this year’s Indian Premier League.
We’ve now hit playoff time in the lucrative Twenty20 tournament, with some Black Caps still on show, while others have packed their bags for home, or England, ahead of the test series.
But T20 cricket remains a big focus for the national side, as hot on the heels of last year’s World Cup in the UAE, where New Zealand finished runners-up, the next World Cup is less than five months away, in Australia.
So Stuff has cast an eye over how all dozen Kiwis have fared during the round-robin phase of this 15th edition of the glitz and glamour that is the IPL. of catching Covid, for a second time.
Glenn Phillips (sold for $300,000 to Sunrisers Hyderabad)
Did not play a game
Team’s finish: 8th
Despite being the top six-hitter in T20 cricket in 2021, where he played three matches for the Rajasthan Royals, and having a fellow Kiwi as his skip, he couldn’t get a gig, as Williamson, South African Aiden Markram and West Indian Nicholas Pooran had a tight grip on overseas batting spots.
Finn Allen: (sold for $160,000 to Royal Challengers Bangalore) Did not play a game
Team’s finish: 4th (play eliminator tomorrow)
The 23-year-old is a serious talent – a T20 strike rate of 175.65 will attest to that and will be pushing hard for World Cup selection – but the likes of Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell were handy top-order options for RCB. team, but was essentially battling with Mitchell for one spot, though the Royals had two other overseas players – Englishman Jos Buttler (the tournament-leading runscorer) and West Indian Shimron Hetmyer – leading their batting charge.
BOWLERS:
Lockie Ferguson: (sold for $2 million to Gujarat Titans)
Figures (overs bowled): 0-24 (4), 4-28 (4), 1-33 (4), 0-46 (4), 3-23 (4), 0-46 (4), 1-33 (4), 0-52 (4), 1-36 (4), 1-29 (3), 1-34 (4), 0-21 (1.4)
Wickets: 12, Average: 33.75,
Economy: 9.06
Team’s finish: 1st (play eliminator today)
Went for one hefty price tag to one of the two new franchises, but the speed merchant has proved his worth in helping the Titans qualify in top spot.
Has been handed the ball as second or third change near the end of the powerplay, then often returned for death time. Played 11 games in a row before sitting out the next two, then returned in the last outing before the playoffs.
Trent Boult (sold for $1.6 million to Rajasthan Royals)
Figures (overs bowled): 2-23 (4), 1-29 (4), 2-34 (4), 2-30 (4), 0-48
(4), 0-47 (4), 0-20 (3), 1-26 (3), 1-25 (4), 0-36 (4), 1-32 (4), 2-18 (4), 1-44 (4)
Wickets: 13, Average: 31.69,
Economy: 8.24
Team’s finish: 2nd (play eliminator today)
Yet again an instrumental part of an IPL side’s success, following his 2020 heroics for champions
Mumbai. Has played in all but one of the Royals’ games. Hasn’t taken any more than two wickets in a match, but has often been bowled out before the death stages where cheap ones can come.
Tim Southee (sold for $300,000 to Kolkata Knight Riders)
Figures (overs bowled): 3-20 (4), 2-36 (4), 3-24 (4), 0-31 (4), 2-46 (4), 1-28 (4), 1-10 (3), 2-23 (4), 0-57 (4)
Wickets: 14, Average: 19.64,
Economy: 7.85
Team’s finish: 7th
A ninth IPL appearance, with this his most profitable, under the leadership of former team-mate and new England test coach Brendon
Mccullum. Usually took the new ball and often bowled one to two overs at the death. Was tracking around the top five for bowling averages and top 10 for economy rates before being taken apart by a rampaging Quinton de Kock in final outing. Not picked to bat, but this was rather undignified: five innings, two runs at 0.50 and strike rate of 16.67.
Adam Milne: (sold for $380,000 to Chennai Super Kings)
Figures (overs bowled): 0-19 (2.3)
Wickets: 0, Average: N/A,
Economy: 8.26
Team’s finish: 9th
Cannot catch a break with his body. The 30-year-old speedster suffered a hamstring injury in the tournament opener and that was his campaign done.