Three into five won’t go for pace quintet
‘If we’ve got everyone in form then we can be picky in how we go about things.’
NEW ZEALAND’S pace bowling puzzle may not be any clearer tomorrow as a quicker, bouncier McLean Park adds another dimension to the debate.
The Black Caps’ ninth one-day international in a 23-day period, against Pakistan in Napier, wraps up the official portion of a World Cup buildup that coach Mike Hesson said had gone almost ‘‘uncomfortably’’ to plan. ‘‘You’re always worried when things are ticking along as nicely as you’d like,’’ he said.
That continued with their most comprehensive victory of the summer, by seven wickets in Wellington on Saturday against an underdone, underwhelming Pakistan.
New Zealand arrived in Napier yesterday braced for a hard, bouncy pitch that gives the fast men value if they bend their backs, but is generally a batsman’s paradise if the bowlers miss their line and length by a fraction.
That will encourage whoever gets the nod among the pacemen to steam in and impress the coach one final time, with a view to their World Cup opener against Sri Lanka in Christchurch on February 14. The batsmen, meanwhile, will hope to avoid any serious maiming from Pakistan’s seven-foot left-armer Mohammad Irfan who was a handful on a sluggish drop-in on Saturday.
Kyle Mills, who looked to be No 5 in the pace pecking order, set the tone with 2-29 in New Zealand’s impressive effort as they skittled Pakistan for 210.
Mills bowled Mohammad Hafeez with a gem that seamed back, then flummoxed Younis Khan with a full one angled in on leg stump. With the pitch slow, and the odd one zinging through, it was tailor-made for 130kmh Mills who captain Brendon McCullum bowled out early, such was his control.
A year ago against India in Napier, Mills wasn’t required under their horses-for-courses scenario which saw Tim Southee, Mitchell McClenaghan and Adam Milne tasked with a short-pitched barrage. They won by 24 runs, defending 293, despite a Virat Kohli century.
So to answer the question on New Zealand’s top XI, Hesson said they were close but not set in stone.
‘‘If we’ve got everyone in form then we can be picky in how we go about things,’’ Hesson said.
‘‘We’ve seen this series we have players who get sore here and there and aren’t quite up to speed. To say we’d rather play a fully fit X as opposed to a 90 per cent Y, is pretty helpful for us. We’ll have pretty close to an XI but conditions will dictate that.’’
So it may be that bounce bowlers Milne and McClenaghan both get the chance to let rip. Milne, the X-factor bowler, was fast and accurate in his return on Saturday but was collared late by Shahid Afridi (67 off 29) who exploded as only he can. Trent Boult (2-25) was also on an impeccable line which illustrates how tough the job is to pick three out of five.
It was a clinical chase led by Ross Taylor and Grant Elliott who had
Mike Hesson on his pace-bowling options the luxury of pacing the innings to suit.
Irfan’s bounce and Afridi’s skiddy legspin provided the only headaches. Irfan rattled the rib cages and gloves of nearly every New Zealand batsman and could be scary in Napier. Elliott described facing him as ‘‘like batting on a trampoline’’.
He will give the Black Caps’ batsmen another timely workout in a buildup noticeably short on a quality pace attack. South Africa provide that in the February 11 warm-up but that will be low-key without official status.
‘‘He can get it down at 145kmh and with his bounce it can be a really difficult proposition,’’ Hesson said.
‘‘We’ve had a pretty good variety over the last few months and in a warm-up game we’ll get a taste for South Africa as well. We’ll be as ready as we can be.
‘‘There were a few ice bags out. He [Irfan] certainly hits the bat hard. He poses quite different questions to most players around the world but no more than bumps and bruises thankfully.’’
Kane Williamson missed Saturday’s game with a left shoulder injury suffered in warm-ups but Hesson expected he would be fit for Napier. Elliott’s emphatic response Flower less than rosy