Part 2: Accelerating through the middle order
In Part 1 I took a look back at the performances of the New Zealand top order through the 2011/12 season and discussed the key issues facing New Zealand cricket.
In the second of a three-part feature I move away from on field performance and reflect on matters concerning (and perpetuated by) the fans.
5. Fans turn quicker than Vettori: When Craig McMillan, along with a number of other prominent sports “journos” and emotional “fans”, berated Jesse Ryder for costing New Zealand a T20I series victory against South Africa I began to question whether I had returned to the United Kingdom and was listening to the vitriol of football tragics after England’s exit from another high-profile tournament.
Showing posts with label John Wright. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Wright. Show all posts
Friday, March 30, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Kane Williamson - T20I or not?
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| Kane Williamson - tests or T20? |
'Experts' and arm chair selectors alike are torn on what is best for Williamson and New Zealand cricket - not just in the now but for many fruitful years to come. There seems to be little middle ground in people's thinking - either Williamson must be a part of all New Zealand teams or he should be rested from the international T20 arena. Who's right will likely only bear out in seasons to come but the wrong move now could delay the young man's cricketing ascension.
Those who believe that Williamson's, and New Zealand's, best interests include the young Northern Districts whippet playing T20 internationals will point to his astonishing finishing in the final match against a struggling Zimbabwe. With New Zealand requiring 26 off the final two overs, both McCullum brothers were caught in the deep leaving nine balls to finish the innings and save Kiwi blushes - Williamson needed only five. He showed timing, placement and cricketing nous to score 20 and save New Zealand the embarrassment of a loss to Zimbabwe with 2 balls to spare. The innings was one that many thought would silence any doubters, but has it had the opposite effect?
In five matches Williamson averages 60 at a little over 140 in T20I but the numbers are deceptive - he's only compiled 120 international runs. In 40 matches at all levels Williamson averages below 20 at marginally over run a ball, on par with his efforts in this season's HRV Cup, but his batting seemed almost an afterthought in a Northern Districts side full of hitting options. The shining light was his economy rate in the 2011/12 domestic game at a miserly 5.74 - the competition's most economical bowler. The intriguing part is he has only bowled 30 balls for New Zealand.
While he can compete and help New Zealand, should he be part of the setup in the immediate future at least? Will his continued use in international hit and giggle affect his test game? At 21, Williamson has time on his side.
New Zealand is developing their spin stocks in McCullum, Hira and Nicol, and there is no shortage of batsmen if others do their job. With Taylor waiting in the wings after the South African series and Ryder back in the squad after another injury, Williamson's inclusion is not a necessity.
For all but jockeys, Williamson is a small man. He has shown impeccable timing but lacks the brute power of his peers so when caught a little short he can't muscle the ball to, and over, the boundary like McCullum or Guptill can, while still holding technical shape. He needs bottom hand to achieve any power whilst his game relies on batting's more subtle arts. As a result he is forced to hit to areas he would usually avoid. Over time will it prove detrimental to his test cricket development?
In a short test career Williamson has achieved only modest numbers but the manner of his play and obvious cricketing mind have shown all what is possible. A burgeoning test average a shade over 30 defies his test potential but he has his maiden test century, 131 against India on the subcontinent, and another three 50s to his name in just nine matches. Since his test debut as a baby faced 20 year old, Williamson has looked bound for greatness. His technique, though with the gaps of a man just starting his international journey, provides him with a base most senior players would envy and his temperament seems inclined towards the lengthy not the flashy. Not since Stephen Fleming has a young Kiwi looked to have the cricketing world as his feet – I discount the deeds of Ross Taylor for though he has amassed impressive numbers neither his technique nor mental ability have shown marked recent growth.
Given time to build on the early promise, and with a lot of hard work, the international game appears to open out before Williamson. Like Turner, Wright and Crowe before him, a stint in the daily grind of the County Championship would help the young pretender hone his undoubted batting talent in preparation for the fierce examination at test level. Coupled with Plunket Shield cricket and New Zealand’s test schedule, application to his craft will carry Williamson a long way – Martin Guptill’s growth in international cricket illustrates that. The volume of ODIs New Zealand plays will allow him to develop the attacking side of his game without the immediacy of T20 pressure – a challenge he has relished with two centuries at 36.20 in his first 19 outings.
The knowledge that comes with learning his game in the longer formats, without the confusion and urgency of T20 tactics, will not only aid in the test and ODI arenas but will give Williamson the cricketing introspection to excel in international T20 in the future.
I am a proud New Zealander who adores test cricket. My thoughts may appear lopsided but test cricket will forever remain the pinnacle of our great game. Regardless of whether Kane Williamson continues to play T20 internationals in his formative cricketing years, he will undoubtedly have a long and successful New Zealand career.
We quickly forget that today's greats such as Ponting, Kallis, Tendulkar, Dravid, and Sangakkara, among others, didn't have the pressure of T20 early in their careers. They spent time building an innings, fine tuning their technique and learning their game before joining the T20 circus.
The question will remain, as it does with young tyro Doug Bracewell, whether T20 will delay his ascension to his position among Crowe, Turner, Reid et al. – time will invariably bear that out. My views hold little weight; such influential decisions sit with John Wright and Kim Littlejohn, who are making steady progress and creating undoubted depth. Like most New Zealand supporters nothing would make me happier than to see Williamson lead his country in years to come and end his career among the game’s elite – time will tell.
If my writing seems a little confused this week, please blame my little princess. My wife gave birth to a little girl a few days ago so what you're reading are the sleep deprived ramblings of an exhausted but elated Daddy.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
2012 and beyond: NZ’s Wright path
The naming of New Zealand’s T20 and ODI squads for the remainder of the Zimbabwe tour has raised a few eyebrows in the cricketing community, but for once it’s a good thing. With the one-off Napier test having confirmed the relative strength, or lack thereof, of the tourists, New Zealand have opted to promote some new blood to the two limited overs sides, and people are genuinely excited about their prospects. Coach John Wright and national selection manager Kim Littlejohn have begun to stamp their mark on New Zealand cricket, and it looks like they are building a strong path to future success.
Clichéd underarm jokes aside, Kim Littlejohn, the former high performance manager of Bowls Australia, has, in conjunction with Wright, shown a leap of faith in the performances of players in domestic limited overs cricket and selected six debutants across the T20 and ODI sides to play Zimbabwe. That Littlejohn has utilised the on-the-ground knowledge of the country’s six domestic coaches in the wider selection process should not be overlooked – they are in the best position to assess developing talent and make candid assessments of the intangibles; traits such as attitude and the ability (and willingness) to learn.
Generally the same wider New Zealand squad covers all three international formats, but Wright and Littlejohn have chosen instead to look towards the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka later this year and the ODI World Cup in New Zealand and Australia in 2015 by rewarding the domestic game’s top performers. Given Wright’s hard-nosed nature and his respect for international cricket, he will still expect any side selected to win every match against a Zimbabwean outfit lacking international game breakers.
Five of the six debutants play for the New Zealand’s two top limited overs sides, Auckland and Canterbury, and have been integral in their success. The sixth, Tarun Nethula, started his career in Auckland before making a move south to Central Districts for the 2010/11 season to get more game time.
Here’s a bit more about the six new boys:
Michael Bates (Auckland – both T20 and ODI)
The 28 year old left arm quick has led Auckland’s limited overs bowling attack for the past three seasons, and topped this season’s HRV Cup T20 wicket takers list with team mate Roneel Hira. Solid at the top of the innings, Bates relishes the job of closing an innings and has developed a deadly yorker when batsmen are looking for any error in length to clear the fence.
Andrew Ellis (Canterbury – ODI)
Having played for Canterbury for the best part of a decade, Ellis has been rewarded for a solid domestic record. Not since Andrew Jones has a player played so much domestic cricket before stepping up (there are many others but Jones was a childhood hero and I need to get his name in somehow). Equally at home with bat and ball, it will be intriguing to see if Ellis can compete at international level.
Colin de Grandhomme (Auckland – T20)
The biggest hitter of a cricket ball in New Zealand, de Grandhomme could create headaches for the Zimbabweans; he was born in Harare and represented the Zimbabwe U19s. In 39 domestic T20 games he averages a shade over 20 at a powerful strike rate of 170, and muscles a boundary every four balls!
Roneel Hira (Auckland – T20)
After losing his Auckland contract this season, Hira has shown his worth to the HRV Cup champions. A limited overs specialist, Ronnie topped the T20 wickets list and is a miser with his left arm orthodox. His selection is a just reward for two stellar limited overs seasons.
Tom Latham (Canterbury – ODI)
At 19 years old, and having played less than 25 matches in all domestic formats, Latham is a pick for the future but he has solid recent form behind him. When selected, he was the top runs scorer in the Ford Trophy (50 overs) averaging 55 at close to 100. If he gets a go, he’s one to watch.
Tarun Nethula (Central Districts – ODI)
The first leggie to play for New Zealand since Brooke Walker a decade earlier, Nethula’s fortunes have moved north since he headed south from Auckland. This season’s form spinner in domestic cricket with Hira, Nethula has good accuracy for a leg spinner still learning his trade.
Two other selections have been discussed by commentators and punters alike; Jacob Oram and Kane Williamson. Will Oram last until 2015? No, but his recent bowling form at international level, when he has been fit, and in the HRV Cup, have earned him his spot though he could no longer be considered a batting force. The bigger talking point is Kane Williamson; a player earmarked as a future captain and with the potential to sit amongst New Zealand’s batting elite. Whilst he was the most miserly bowler in the HRV Cup, does it really matter? Williamson would be better to get his head around his batting game - will limited overs pressure simply delay his ascension in the international game or cause issues with a technique that still requires work to succeed at the highest level?
Whilst the results should be one-sided, New Zealand is prone to stumbling over pebbles even if they occasionally climb great mountains. On New Zealand’s tour to Zimbabwe late last year, captain Brendan Taylor was a constant thorn in their side. In three ODIs he scored over 300 runs at quicker than a run a ball, including two centuries, and was dominant in the T20s. If Zimbabwe are to cause New Zealand any troubles, Taylor holds the key. Waller and Taibu will need to be at the very best in supporting roles if they are to post competitive totals. Young fast-medium bowler Kyle Jarvis and the spin pairing of Price and Utseya are the most likely with the ball. Even at their very best Zimbabwe will need to lift their fielding from Napier where they looked little better than club cricketers (with apologies to the weekend warriors).
NZ should whitewash Zimbabwe in both the T20s and ODIs – the test will be whether the New Zealand debutants can help continue the clinical dominance of the test side. Shorter games tend to bring teams closer together but if New Zealand can continue their ruthless resolve the class gap should be too far for Zimbabwe to overcome. A six year exile from test cricket has hampered Zimbabwe’s ability to compete at international level, and it will be some time until they are a competitive unit again.
Those who complain they shouldn’t be given test status, and aren’t worthy of international cricket, would do well to remember the length of time it took India, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and more lately, Bangladesh, to find their feet at the elite level. A country that previously produced the talents of the Flower brothers, Streak, Olonga, Whittal and Brandes, among others, will no doubt rise again.
For New Zealand, it is great to see players blooded but Wright and Littlejohn need the courage to persevere with them - the exercise will be wasted if they are then thrown back to the domestic wilderness along similar line to youngsters Adam Milne and Daniel Flynn. Some of the players may not pull through to the South African series, but it’s a taste of international cricket and it’s important that long term depth is not sacrificed by reverting to the status quo. Others may be involved in selecting the side but largely the buck will stop with John Wright – given his success in cricket around the world and his desire to lead New Zealand forward on his terms, the future looks bright.
ODI squad: Brendon McCullum (c), Bates, Doug Bracewell, Dean Brownlie, Ellis, Martin Guptill, Latham, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Nethula, Rob Nicol, Oram, Tim Southee, Williamson.
Twenty20 squad: B. McCullum (c), Bates, Bracewell, Brownlie, de Grandhomme, James Franklin, Guptill, Hira, N. McCullum, Mills, Nicol, Oram, Southee, Williamson .
Clichéd underarm jokes aside, Kim Littlejohn, the former high performance manager of Bowls Australia, has, in conjunction with Wright, shown a leap of faith in the performances of players in domestic limited overs cricket and selected six debutants across the T20 and ODI sides to play Zimbabwe. That Littlejohn has utilised the on-the-ground knowledge of the country’s six domestic coaches in the wider selection process should not be overlooked – they are in the best position to assess developing talent and make candid assessments of the intangibles; traits such as attitude and the ability (and willingness) to learn.
Generally the same wider New Zealand squad covers all three international formats, but Wright and Littlejohn have chosen instead to look towards the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka later this year and the ODI World Cup in New Zealand and Australia in 2015 by rewarding the domestic game’s top performers. Given Wright’s hard-nosed nature and his respect for international cricket, he will still expect any side selected to win every match against a Zimbabwean outfit lacking international game breakers.
Five of the six debutants play for the New Zealand’s two top limited overs sides, Auckland and Canterbury, and have been integral in their success. The sixth, Tarun Nethula, started his career in Auckland before making a move south to Central Districts for the 2010/11 season to get more game time.
Here’s a bit more about the six new boys:
Michael Bates (Auckland – both T20 and ODI)
The 28 year old left arm quick has led Auckland’s limited overs bowling attack for the past three seasons, and topped this season’s HRV Cup T20 wicket takers list with team mate Roneel Hira. Solid at the top of the innings, Bates relishes the job of closing an innings and has developed a deadly yorker when batsmen are looking for any error in length to clear the fence.
Andrew Ellis (Canterbury – ODI)
Having played for Canterbury for the best part of a decade, Ellis has been rewarded for a solid domestic record. Not since Andrew Jones has a player played so much domestic cricket before stepping up (there are many others but Jones was a childhood hero and I need to get his name in somehow). Equally at home with bat and ball, it will be intriguing to see if Ellis can compete at international level.
Colin de Grandhomme (Auckland – T20)
The biggest hitter of a cricket ball in New Zealand, de Grandhomme could create headaches for the Zimbabweans; he was born in Harare and represented the Zimbabwe U19s. In 39 domestic T20 games he averages a shade over 20 at a powerful strike rate of 170, and muscles a boundary every four balls!
Roneel Hira (Auckland – T20)
After losing his Auckland contract this season, Hira has shown his worth to the HRV Cup champions. A limited overs specialist, Ronnie topped the T20 wickets list and is a miser with his left arm orthodox. His selection is a just reward for two stellar limited overs seasons.
Tom Latham (Canterbury – ODI)
At 19 years old, and having played less than 25 matches in all domestic formats, Latham is a pick for the future but he has solid recent form behind him. When selected, he was the top runs scorer in the Ford Trophy (50 overs) averaging 55 at close to 100. If he gets a go, he’s one to watch.
Tarun Nethula (Central Districts – ODI)
The first leggie to play for New Zealand since Brooke Walker a decade earlier, Nethula’s fortunes have moved north since he headed south from Auckland. This season’s form spinner in domestic cricket with Hira, Nethula has good accuracy for a leg spinner still learning his trade.
Two other selections have been discussed by commentators and punters alike; Jacob Oram and Kane Williamson. Will Oram last until 2015? No, but his recent bowling form at international level, when he has been fit, and in the HRV Cup, have earned him his spot though he could no longer be considered a batting force. The bigger talking point is Kane Williamson; a player earmarked as a future captain and with the potential to sit amongst New Zealand’s batting elite. Whilst he was the most miserly bowler in the HRV Cup, does it really matter? Williamson would be better to get his head around his batting game - will limited overs pressure simply delay his ascension in the international game or cause issues with a technique that still requires work to succeed at the highest level?
Whilst the results should be one-sided, New Zealand is prone to stumbling over pebbles even if they occasionally climb great mountains. On New Zealand’s tour to Zimbabwe late last year, captain Brendan Taylor was a constant thorn in their side. In three ODIs he scored over 300 runs at quicker than a run a ball, including two centuries, and was dominant in the T20s. If Zimbabwe are to cause New Zealand any troubles, Taylor holds the key. Waller and Taibu will need to be at the very best in supporting roles if they are to post competitive totals. Young fast-medium bowler Kyle Jarvis and the spin pairing of Price and Utseya are the most likely with the ball. Even at their very best Zimbabwe will need to lift their fielding from Napier where they looked little better than club cricketers (with apologies to the weekend warriors).
NZ should whitewash Zimbabwe in both the T20s and ODIs – the test will be whether the New Zealand debutants can help continue the clinical dominance of the test side. Shorter games tend to bring teams closer together but if New Zealand can continue their ruthless resolve the class gap should be too far for Zimbabwe to overcome. A six year exile from test cricket has hampered Zimbabwe’s ability to compete at international level, and it will be some time until they are a competitive unit again.
Those who complain they shouldn’t be given test status, and aren’t worthy of international cricket, would do well to remember the length of time it took India, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and more lately, Bangladesh, to find their feet at the elite level. A country that previously produced the talents of the Flower brothers, Streak, Olonga, Whittal and Brandes, among others, will no doubt rise again.
For New Zealand, it is great to see players blooded but Wright and Littlejohn need the courage to persevere with them - the exercise will be wasted if they are then thrown back to the domestic wilderness along similar line to youngsters Adam Milne and Daniel Flynn. Some of the players may not pull through to the South African series, but it’s a taste of international cricket and it’s important that long term depth is not sacrificed by reverting to the status quo. Others may be involved in selecting the side but largely the buck will stop with John Wright – given his success in cricket around the world and his desire to lead New Zealand forward on his terms, the future looks bright.
ODI squad: Brendon McCullum (c), Bates, Doug Bracewell, Dean Brownlie, Ellis, Martin Guptill, Latham, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Nethula, Rob Nicol, Oram, Tim Southee, Williamson.
Twenty20 squad: B. McCullum (c), Bates, Bracewell, Brownlie, de Grandhomme, James Franklin, Guptill, Hira, N. McCullum, Mills, Nicol, Oram, Southee, Williamson .
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