Settled Black Caps locked in for Aust tour
Reports from New Zealand Cricket medical staff will have provided the most head-scratchers for Mike Hesson for an otherwise straightforward test squad to tour Australia in November.
New Zealand’s coach and chief selector will announce his 15-man squad at the Basin Reserve on Friday, which should bear a striking resemblance to the 15 who toured England for a 1-1 draw in May in their last test series.
The fitness of key allrounders Corey Anderson and Jimmy Neesham on recovery from back stress fractures; which batsman claims the backup spot between Dean Brownlie and Hamish Rutherford; and whether Neil Wagner holds off Ben Wheeler for the final pace bowling position are posers that would have occupied Hesson and co-selector Gavin Larsen this week.
Anderson pronounced himself on track this week for the first test in Brisbane on November 5, after a measured comeback from a double stress fracture in May. Assuming he continues to progress, the top 11 for the series opener requires minimal fuss. Anderson would slot in at six behind an established topfive, Mark Craig would be the sole spinner and Doug Bracewell looks to have pushed ahead of Matt Henry for the third pace spot.
That leaves the backup cast to fill the gaps on the bouncy Australian pitches, with fast bowler Adam Milne likely to be left at home to build up his bowling loads despite impressive form in Africa after a long layoff.
Brownlie excelled on the last Australian tour in 2011, and in
South Africa against their pacemen, and makes sense as the backup batsman to cover the topsix spots. He converted himself to an opener last summer for Northern Districts and averaged 63 from six Plunket Shield matches.
Rutherford pipped Brownlie for the England squad in May and has largely retained Hesson’s faith throughout his tenure, but Brownlie appeals as the better option for this tour.
Neesham would ideally travel and go head-to-head with Anderson, but the fact his back injury flared again in Africa after a long layoff would have concerned the staff. NZC weren’t forthcoming with an injury update on Neesham this week and the temptation may be to take a cautious approach with the gifted allrounder with a big summer ahead.
Should Anderson also suffer a setback, it could open the door for Mitchell Santner in the allrounder’s slot, although another spinner isn’t usually required in Australian conditions. Otherwise medium pace allrounders are thin on the ground, with Colin Munro probably the next in line. Despite his poor run of form in white-ball cricket, Luke Ronchi starred in New Zealand’s win at Headingley on test debut and should again be the backup wicketkeeper/batsman to BJ Watling.
Pace spearhead Trent Boult should receive the all-clear from his back stress injury suffered in England, and with Tim Southee, Bracewell and Henry look assured. Wagner was the fifth quick in England and, like Bracewell didn’t play a test while young left-armer Wheeler moved his way up the ranks. Wheeler offers more swing and strikepower but Wagner has been a hard-toiling servant for Hesson and retained an NZC contract ahead of Wheeler.