Black Caps may turn, turn, turn to triple spin option

‘‘I don’t necessarily subscribe to the rule that you never change a winning team. Conditions dictate what’s the best team to give you the best chance of winning a game,’’ Stead said.

‘‘One consideration could be whether we play three spinners. Will has been really impressive in the nets and we’ll have to put that in the mix.

‘‘If you look at other teams who’ve gone over there and it’s a way they often go. It’s not a norm for New Zealand cricket teams but it could be an option. It’s one of four or five we’ll be considering.’’

If they went with offspinner Somerville, leftarm orthodox Patel and legspinner Ish Sodhi as a spin trio then Neil Wagner, after his Abu Dhabi heroics in a support role, could be the sole pace bowler which would raise the bizarre prospect of senior duo Trent Boult and Tim Southee both missing out.

Then Colin de Grandhomme’s role comes up for Just days after Ajaz Patel spun New Zealand to victory, coach Gary Stead is tempted to double down in Dubai and stack the lineup with three spinners, including debutant Will Somerville.

Ahead of his first look at the pitch late yesterday, Stead said a triple-spin attack was one of several options under serious consideration for tomorrow’s second test (7pm NZ time).

The radical – by New Zealand standards anyway – selection move was planted in his mind when they were at Dubai International Stadium for the one-day series.

Stead expects this pitch to be as spin-friendly as Abu Dhabi which turned throughout, and man of the match Patel (7-123) and Pakistan Will Somerville could join Ajaz

legspinner Yasir Patel and Ish Sodhi in the

Shah (8-164) were second test lineup.

their respective teams’ most effective bowlers. discussion.

‘‘It [a series win] is a great The allrounder – whose photo opportunity for us and I expect graces the cover of the New Zealand there will be two more results so Cricket Almanack as its we still have to win at least one player of the year – scored 22 runs more of them,’’ Stead said. from seven innings on tour

‘‘What I saw of the Dubai including 0 and 3 in Abu Dhabi. wicket was it looked very abrasive His confidence against spin looks at one end. And when we’re low but his game-changing back in Abu Dhabi [for the third qualities and lack of a backup test] that pitch is the same that allrounder might earn him a Australia played a test on five or reprieve for one test at least. six weeks ago [a 373-run win to ‘‘Even though we’ve been here Pakistan]. for a few weeks it’s only one test

‘‘There’s more chance of it match and Colin has played some being abrasive and spinning. really important roles for New

‘‘It will certainly be a challenge Zealand in the past,’’ Stead said. for the batsmen, and who ‘‘Yes, we’d like to get a few can play spin well and adapt more runs out of him and he’s best.’’ working on that in the nets.’’

Which brings us to selections, If de Grandhomme was and the likelihood at least one dropped the tail would be long, change will be made despite the with either Tim Southee, Sodhi or Black Caps’ four-run victory in a Wagner at No 7 as a stop-gap. cliffhanger – just their fourth in Or New Zealand could play 25 away tests against Pakistan. four frontline bowlers and Tom

Stead and captain Kane Williamson Blundell could come in at seven will chew over several to bolster the batting in tough scenarios but if the coach’s hunch conditions. is correct then Somerville could ‘‘They’re all factors Kane and I be clutching his first black cap at will definitely talk about,’’ Stead age 34 after 18 first-class matches. said.