Jamieson’s tall order
Kyle Jamieson wears some large cricket boots. But, figuratively speaking, he’ll have to go up several sizes to ably fill those vacated by Neil Wagner in Wellington.
The 2.03m Auckland seamer is difficult to miss but he’ll be the most-watched bowler in this intriguing first cricket test as India and New Zealand bring vastly different formlines to the Basin Reserve at 11.30am today.
Home skipper Kane Williamson all-but confirmed Jamieson, 25, for his test debut alongside Tim Southee and Trent Boult as Wagner stays in Tauranga with wife Lana for the birth of their first child.
At a glance
What: New Zealand v India, first cricket test
Where: Basin Reserve, Wellington
When: 11.30am Friday (day one of five), live on Stuff from 11am
Odds (NZ TAB): India $2.06, NZ $2.47, draw $4.70
Likely teams:
New Zealand: Tom Latham, Tom Blundell, Kane Williamson (captain), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling, Colin de Grandhomme, Daryl Mitchell/Ajaz Patel, Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson, Trent Boult.
India: Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.
On a pitch that groundsman Hagen Faith has left more moisture in to try to maintain pace and bounce for five days, Jamieson, after his impressive ODI cameos, could be a handful if visiting skipper Virat Kohli calls incorrectly.
Both captains will want to bowl first, with Kohli having in Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma as good a pace trio India have brought here
Wagner bounced out Bangladesh in the Black Caps’ win in three days last March, and is the man for later in the test when the going gets tough. He was huge in Australia, too, and his absence will be felt.
‘‘You don’t replace a guy like Neil; the qualities he brings are unique.
‘‘You bring in a guy that targets different areas coming from a different height, and a really exciting opportunity for Kyle Jamieson,’’ Williamson said.
Who fills the final spot in New Zealand’s XI wasn’t confirmed by Williamson, aside from saying Matt Henry – summoned as cover for Wagner – would not play.
The means a choice between allrounder Daryl Mitchell and spinner Ajaz Patel. The Black Caps ditched their spinner against Bangladesh – and for the 2014 Basin epic against India – and after a Friday morning pitch inspection Mitchell might be favoured as an into-the-wind option who can nip the ball about, and add batting strength at No 8.
After what you could call the phony war – 5-0 to India in Twenty20s and 3-0 to the Black Caps in the ODIs – this is where it gets serious.
India are world No 1 and on a seven-match winning streak, their place in next year’s World Test Championship final almost assured, while New Zealand beat England 1-0 as world No 2 before a 3-0 Australian mauling.
Home comforts will ease those mental scars with Williamson’s side having won five straight series in New Zealand since their last defeat, to South Africa in Wellington in March 2017.
India travel well these days and have very few weaknesses with their bowling attack and batting powerhouses Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane.
Openers Mayank Agarwal and Prithvi Shaw will be targets for New Zealand’s quicks, and the mighty Kohli hasn’t really got
going on tour yet. The skipper did score a century in his last test knock in New Zealand, the 2014 draw at the Basin.
Ross Taylor’s 100-test milestone will ensure a healthy, vocal crowd in the 8000-capacity Basin.
India haven’t won there since
1968 and New Zealand won’t fear them, but it will be nervous times if the hosts bat first after the Australian experience.
Said Williamson: ‘‘If you can execute your plans on a surface that’s providing assistance that’s a challenge for anybody.’’