Sodhi, seamers to make impact
When you think one-day international cricket tri-series; Ireland and Bangladesh in Dublin in May doesn’t exactly leap out and grab you by the collar.
Still for the Black Caps, for now missing seven of their Champions Trophy squad at the Indian Premier League, these four ODIs starting on Sunday are a pipeopener for the big show, starting against Australia at Edgbaston on June 2.
A fair few of these won’t be at the Champions Trophy as the big guns filter back from India, but with 21 New Zealand Cricket contracts on the line next month and a packed home summer of limited overs cricket looming, some carrots beckon.
We take a look at five New Zealand cricketers who have plenty to play for in the next 10 days or so.
ISH SODHI
Remember him? Overtaken by Jeetan Patel in the test and oneday spin pecking order, off a stunning Big Bash Twenty20 cameo, Sodhi played just two home ODIs against South Africa in February. Strangely unwanted in the Indian Premier League auction, he went on a legspin spree for Northern Districts, snaring 27 wickets at 23.7 in four Plunket Shield matches.
With Patel unavailable with county commitments till game four against Bangladesh, Sodhi gets a chance alongside Mitchell Santner to make a selection point on pitches team management predict will be slow, spin-friendly swards. Consistency, and ridding those short or full freebies to the batsmen, is Sodhi’s work-on.
LUKE RONCHI
Everyone’s favourite Dannevirkeborn, Perth-raised, Wellington-domiciled wicketkeeper has become lucky Luke in the black strip. Now, he desperately needs more good fortune and a clear head leading into the Champions Trophy as he strides out to open and bat for his international career.
Ronchi is still rated by selectors as the country’s best white ball gloveman, which is hard to dispute, but his prolonged ODI run drought (just once past 20 in his last 12 innings; top score 37 not out since the World Cup) can’t be ignored for much longer.
HAMISH BENNETT
The standout white-ball bowler in New Zealand domestic cricket, Bennett should be first in the queue if any Champions Trophy pace frontliners break down.
An intimidating figure with the new ball, bustling Bennett’s death bowling and variations for Wellington in their run to two finals marked him down as the complete product. At 30 and now staying on the park consistently, Bennett has plenty to offer New Zealand’s limited overs sides and might provide food for selection thought for the next home summer.
GEORGE WORKER
Why won’t they pick him? It wasn’t just in Central Stags country where the question was being bellowed louder and louder about the hard-hitting left-hander and capable spinner as he piled on the runs in 50-over cricket. With 659 runs at an average of 82 in Ford Trophy, he pushed back past Dean Brownlie and will play his first international since his four-match African debut in August 2015.
Oddly ignored since then, Worker looked the part in his brief stint in the black helmet but will want to show he can fly into gear from ball one.
SETH RANCE
Another spurned Stag, till now. Rance is a great story; a volunteer firefighter from Greytown in Wairarapa, ignored by the national selectors and convinced he’d missed out till Canterbury’s Ed Nuttall suffered a back injury and Rance got an early morning call.
Previously seen as a domestic seam bowling journeyman, the 29-year-old gained a yard of pace and developed his inswing and yorker to be the most lethal in the New Zealand game. Takes bags of wickets for fun in the North Lancashire League for Furness, and in his first bowl for New Zealand snared 4-13 off four overs against Ireland Wolves.
In a long queue of fast bowling talent but can certainly leap a few spots in the pecking order in the next fortnight if he gets opportunities.