Australia has locked up the Chappell-Hadlee trophy with two wins from two games. But the Black Caps have an opportunity to rescue some pride tonight and here’s how cricket writer Adrian Seconi thinks they can do it.
Colin de Grandhomme.
REWRITE THE SCRIPT
The Black Caps need to employ a more coherent game plan. When Brendon McCullum ran the side the plan was pretty simple — if in doubt, give it a clout.
The team responded to McCullum’s positive and instinctual brand of leadership but Kane Williamson is more analytical and organised, perhaps even prone to overthink situations.
His decision to bowl first on a flat deck at Manuka Oval was backed up by sound reasoning, but he just did not follow through. He felt overnight rain and cloud cover would help his pace bowlers get some movement but then left the team’s best swing bowler, Tim Southee, waiting in the wings.
The short-pitched bowling at Steve Smith was another dubious call.
As for the half-volleys Matt Henry bowled at Mitchell Marsh, well, there is no way they were in the game plan. Clearly he was trying to get the ball in the blockhole but waited until the third consecutive six to change tactics. The Black Caps need to spend some time around an oval table with swivel chairs and come up with a new blueprint which will work for the team.
Kane Williamson.
POSITIVE CHANGES
For years, I’ve complained about how inflexible batting orders can be. Just because you are next on the list does not mean you are the player best-equipped for that situation.
It is heartening to see the Black Caps bend their order so they can get the most out of players. Long may that continue. And on that score, is it time for Kane Williamson to step up and open the batting alongside Martin Guptill? He can pace the innings and rotate the strike, while players like Guptill, Jimmy Neesham and Colin Munro attack from the other end.
Munro is the closest New Zealand has to finding a like-for-like replacement for McCullum’s devastating ability with the bat, and he could bat a lot higher in the order, particularly if New Zealand gets off to a good start.
We all know how good Guptill is at white ball cricket and Neesham has played well in Ross Taylor’s absence. But Colin de Grandhomme has the potential to be the best pinch-hitter in the world.
He has the highest career twenty20 strike rate (167.30) of any player in the game. He might not get you many, but he will get them quickly and he is a weapon the Black Caps should unleash when the run rate needs a boost.
It is hard to see a place for opener Tom Latham in the ODI side, though, and test keeper BJ Watling is just not dynamic enough with the bat.
