Blackcaps x Champions Trophy: Tri-Series Update #4
Not the biggest conundrum though...
As we didn't get too crazy about Aotearoa's tri-series wins over Bangladesh and Ireland, there's certainly no reason to panic about the Blackcaps loss to Bangladesh overnight. I'm still not overly confident about Aotearoa's chances at the Champions Trophy and nothing has changed during this tri-series, nor has losing to Bangladesh amplified my concerns.
Three blokes scored half-centuries for Aotearoa against Bangladesh and I couldn't think of a better scenario than Tom Latham, Neil Broom and Ross Taylor scoring the bulk of the team's runs in a loss. In four games, Latham has hit a century and two half-centuries, Broom's doubled up on half-centuries and Taylor hit three half-centuries. These three finished as three of the top-four run-scorers in this tri-series, with Latham and Broom the only batsmen to score over 200 runs.
For Broom and Taylor specifically, this is as good a series as we could have hoped for. There is little clarity around what Mike Hesson (and you Gav #Lesson) is thinking with this Blackcaps team, the only real clarity comes in knowing that Kane Williamson will bat No.3, Taylor No.4 and Broom No.5. Williamson is a Golden Child and should be able to slide into CT cricket with ease, while Taylor and Broom needed to get some time at the crease and hopefully score some runs. They did exactly that, not only did they score runs, they dominated and led like senior batsmen should.
Maybe I wouldn't be as chuffed if Taylor and Broom had scored a half-century or two as they weren't facing super dangerous bowling attacks. It's their consistency across this series and weight of runs that is reason to be optimistic; optimistic that Broom can score runs against Australia and England.
With a pile of runs there, optimism is crucial because there doesn't appear to be a whole lot else in this batting line up. Martin Guptill will obviously return and my concerns aren't with the top-five, it's what follows Broom, when the innings or game is on the line that doesn't leave me overly enthusiastic. The upside is that with Broom batting at No.5, Corey Anderson or Jimmy Neesham will be pushed down to No.6 and carrying Anderson, Neesham and Santner is possible when one of them is batting as high as No.5. The further they slide down the batting line up, the less chance there is of all three playing.
Runs from Latham are beautiful, this only confuses matters with the wicket-keeping situation though as Latham did his job as an opening batsman but wasn't given any game time as a wicket-keeper. Meanwhile, Luke Ronchi opened with Latham in all four games and at best would hit a quick 20-30 then get out. At this stage, Latham has blatantly out-played Ronchi and should open alongside Guptill but as I keep repeating; they've missed a chance to give Latham decent game time with the keeping gloves.
We're heading into a major tournament and we don't even know who our wicket-keeper will be.
Jeetan Patel has left Warwickshire to link up with the Blackcaps (after a fairly average Royal London One-Day Cup campaign) and he opened the bowling to take 2/55 @ 5.50rpo. Patel effectively replaced Ish Sodhi and Australia/England will be scouting Patel with the new-ball as it appears as though Patel is likely to play this role given what we've seen in the past few months. Patel and Mitchell Santner are best at restricting the flow of runs, not exactly ripping through a team with wickets and while they took 3 wickets between them here, they both conceded over 5rpo.
Everyone got spanked by Bangladesh. Matt Henry was the only bowler to concede less than 5rpo, but he didn't take a wicket, while Anderson and Neesham both conceded over 7rpo in their 5 and 4 overs respectively.
Anderson and Neesham certainly don't fill you with confidence that they can tidy up during the middle stage of a bowling innings. Just as I find it difficult to justify selecting both of them with regards to batting, the further down the batting line up they go, the more weight is put on their bowling and I'm weary of relying on them both with the ball. We've gotta roll with either Neesham or Anderson and hope that either of them can pick up a key wicket or two as they've done in the past.
The weirdest thing about this bowling attack was the lack of Adam Milne, or Tim Southee, or Trent Boult, or Mitchell McClenaghan ... or Colin de Grandhomme. Williamson's absence is understandable and I'd extend that out to Boult (maybe Southee) as they are proven ODI performers, yet Milne needs as many ODI overs to his name as possible and if we're relying on the IPL to bring McClenaghan and de Grandhomme into the CT prepared, that's rather dangerous.
Patel and Santner are the only bowlers from this last game that would be in a full-strength bowling attack. Broom, Taylor and Latham are similar, just with the bat instead and they've been ticking things over in actual ODI cricket, working through specific preparation for the CT. Assuming that our 'best' bowlers are going to waltz in from the IPL and perform at a high level against Australia, then England is less than ideal.
Ponder this: while the Blackcaps played Bangladesh last night, England took on South Africa and South Africa's bowling attack consisted solely of players who are in their CT squad (Rabada, Parnell, Morris, Tahir, Phehlukwayo, Duminy). As did England's bowling attack (Woakes, Wood, Plunkett, Rashid, Stokes, Ali), while all the big-dawgs batsmen were also playing; Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers.
Not only does that pour poo on my leniency towards Williamson, what makes the Blackcaps so special that they can go the opposite route and not give their best bowling attack, or something that resembles it a legit game (or three) of practice? If it's good enough for South Africa and England, it's good enough for me.
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