Spoilt for choice
Tom Blundell and Devon Conway present compelling options for both Wellington and New Zealand this summer. But defining their roles is far from clearcut.
For someone who won two titles in his first year at the helm, Wellington Firebirds coach Glenn Pocknall is faced with a tricky dilemma with two of his best cricketers.
Exactly one month out from the scheduled Plunket Shield opener on October 19, Pocknall remains uncertain around incumbent test opener Tom Blundell and where he fits alongside the now-eligible top order contender Devon Conway.
Watching on is Black Caps coach Gary Stead, eyeing four successive rounds of Plunket Shield before naming his Twenty20 and test squads to take on West Indies in the final week of November, pending a Government rubber stamp.
All the Black Caps except the Indian Premier League five – Kane Williamson, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Trent Boult and Lockie Ferguson – will be available for those shield matches before a full international summer kicks into
gear, Covid-19 permitting.
Blundell – backup to BJ Watling as a test wicketkeeper-batsman – stepped up superbly to the unfamiliar opening slot when Jeet Raval was dropped in Melbourne. A Boxing Day test century against Australia was followed by scores of 30, 2 not out, 30 and 55 in a bowler-dominated 2-0 test series win over India in February.
He looks likely to continue at the top with Tom Latham for two tests against West Indies, although he’s excelled in the middle order and with the gloves for Wellington.
‘‘I’ve had the conversation with Tom and neither of us are sure what we’re going to do. We do have options and maybe we need to include Gary in the conversation,’’ Pocknall said.
‘‘It’s so tricky; he’s one of the best keepers in the country and one of the best openers in the country, and also a very good middle order player. You can’t do all three, unfortunately. In 2-3 weeks we’ll need to make a decision but it’s one I’ve been delaying.’’
Stead said of Blundell as a test opener: ‘‘We believe he’s got the credentials to continue on with that, and is probably likely to be given the nod when we start back into test cricket.’’
Which means Stead will have a discussion with Pocknall about Blundell opening for Wellington, with a view to still being a viable wicketkeeper-batsman option should Watling be sidelined for any reason.
That leaves Conway, leading runscorer in all three formats for the Firebirds last summer and triplecentury scorer against Canterbury. And he’s now eligible for the Black Caps, having completed his threeyear residency since shifting from South Africa.
With Williamson and Ross Taylor
at three and four, and Henry Nicholls likely to remain at five for now, despite 12 test innings without a halfcentury, there are few test batting vacancies.
Conway has said he can slot in anywhere in the top-four.
Said Pocknall, whose squad trained on grass at the Basin Reserve for the past fortnight: ‘‘Devon is locked in at three for us, unless we hear otherwise from what the selectors want to see. He’s been so successful there, leading scorer for five of the six competitions in that position and in white ball he’s opened a bit. I don’t want to change that. He’s very comfortable there.’’
Assuming Stead names a test squad of 13, Conway and fellow Black Caps contracted player Will Young will likely vie for the backup batting spot.
That raises the question of when Conway, 29, will actually don his first black helmet with the silver fern.
Pocknall believes 50-over cricket is marginally Conway’s best format but believes he’s ready any time, anywhere.
‘‘I hope we do lose him, just because he deserves it. He’s had two years of amazing results and I can’t think of a player who’s dominated domestic cricket like he has.’’
Stead insists loyalty will continue in his selections, especially in the world No 2 test squad which should be almost identical to the India series when Kyle Jamieson burst on the scene. In T20 there’s a logjam of top order batting contenders too, including Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Glenn Phillips, Williamson and Tim Seifert.
Stead is a fan of Conway but will be patient, with his first start likely in NZ A matches against West Indies and Pakistan.
‘‘I don’t feel obliged or forced in any way to have to select Devon. He’s a fine player and we’ve seen that in the domestic game,’’ Stead said.
‘‘Naturally the thing that will probably happen is there will be some A cricket that hopefully he can play which will give us a better indication of where he’s actually at. He’s got a lot of traits and attributes that we really like.’’
‘‘I don’t feel obliged or forced in any way to have to select Devon.’’ Blacks Caps coach Gary Stead on Devon Conway