Southee handed captaincy for warmup
TIM SOUTHEE has been handed the New Zealand captaincy for tomorrow’s Australian cricket tour opener as the newly returned Brendon McCullum is eased back into the fold.
Coach Mike Hesson confirmed McCullum, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson and one more pace bowler, potentially Trent Boult, would sit out the traditional 50-over tour opener against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra.
The pink ball match is a low-key shakedown, hence the resting of key players ahead of the two-day game at the same venue on Saturday and Sunday against most of Australia’s test batting contenders.
Southee’s rise up the leadership ranks was confirmed when Hesson said he’d captain the side, ahead of candidates like former skipper Ross Taylor and Tom Latham who led Canterbury at age 20. Southee didn’t always leap out as leadership material but with maturity, and his role leading the pace attack and as a trusted lieutenant for McCullum, he was next cab off the rank behind Williamson.
‘‘It’ll be a good opportunity for him. Part of his role in the leadership group is take a little bit more responsibility and he’s looking forward to it,’’ Hesson said of 26-yearold Southee, who has 41 tests and 98 one-day internationals to his name.
McCullum returned from London at the weekend after taking the witness stand in the Chris Cairns perjury trial. He joined his team-mates in Sydney for the bus ride to Canberra and would make his first appearance of the tour at some stage this weekend against the red ball.
‘‘He’ll play a part but he’s been away from training for a while and we’ll ease him back in and make sure he’s ready to go by Brisbane,’’
McCullum’s form after a long break, and the distraction of attending the trial, will be an intriguing aspect of the buildup to the first test in Brisbane on November 5 as New Zealand eye a royal chance to win their first series across the Tasman in 30 years.
The Black Caps have one official first-class match, a four-dayer against a Cricket Australia XI in Sydney starting next Thursday, as their final shakedown. Hesson said they will play a shadow test side there.
Assuming Jimmy Neesham continues to build and his bowling shows some spark in the next week then the test No 6 spot is his, with Mitchell Santner the backup allrounder.
That leaves the Doug BracewellMatt Henry duel as the only real selection question.
Bracewell must have his nose in front after an excellent South African one-day tour, past form in Australia and a five-wicket bag on a flat pitch against Otago in Napier, but Hesson was giving little away. Henry remains the test incumbent, from the series-levelling win over England in May.
‘‘They’re both bowling nicely and they’ll both get a chance with a new ball and a slightly older one. Hopefully we arrive in Brisbane with four [pace bowlers] ready to go.’’
They can also score some points over a shadow Australian batting lineup at the weekend, with top order contenders Shaun Marsh, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja and Joe Burns jousting for two spots. Likely test No 5 Adam Voges and No 6 Mitchell Marsh will also pad up in the Canberra two-dayer.
‘‘We’ve had one first-class game but we’re going to use these next seven days to make sure we’re firing from a skill perspective. If we get the bonus of knocking a few guys over cheaply we’ll take it,’’ said Hesson.