Black Caps Black Book .../Diary - England Series Primer
The World Cup, remember that? Not really, just a foggy haze of Australian joy and ancient memories of masterful performers from our kiwi lads that will go down in history. You might be holding on to those memories but I've moved on, we've got bigger fish to fry.
Make this clear, the goal is to be the number one Test team in the world. I can see it, it's possible and playing England in England is the perfect way to get back on the Test cricket wagon.
Back on our quest.
Any time the Black Caps embark on an overseas adventure I get excited. We're making Aotearoa a bit of a fortress in the white clothing as foreigners try to figure out our conditions with both bat and ball. By the time they do, they've usually found themselves down in the series and we've shown that we not only know exactly how to play at home, but we've got the talent to make lemonade from those lemons.
England are ripe for the picking, but pose substantial challenge nonetheless. If Tim Southee and Trent Boult can master the Duke ball, they will ask many questions of England's top order which will have fresh blood in it. Adam Lyth is expected to take the place of Jonathan Trott, and make his debut in the first Test at the top of the order with Alistair Cook. Lyth has a first class average of 43.20 and hit a 50 in his most recent outing for Yorkshire after returning from the West Indies where he was part of the squad but didn't play.
Besides a new opener, we can expect Gary Ballance, Joe Root, Ian Bell, Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes and Jos Butler to make up England's batting line up. There's not much there that will terrify our bowlers, but they are all good enough to pounce on a poor spell or see out a good spell and make the most of it afterwards.
Southee and Boult won't be able to do it all and the third seamer will be crucial for the Black Caps. Doug Bracewell, Matt Henry and Neil Wagner will be gunning for that spot and I reckon they are ranked in that order, especially in England. Corey Anderson may or may not be fit, which is important as Mike Hesson and Brendon McCullum will have to decide on whether to go with another batsman or bowler.
We have a trustworthy spinner in Mark Craig but we still have plenty of uncertainty surrounding our openers. Tom Latham looks to have one spot locked in and I can't imagine Hamish Rutherford being selected/I don't want him selected, unless injury keeps Martin Guptill out. The intrigue here surrounds McCullum who opened in the UAE and could do it again, but I'd be picking him in the middle order.
McCullum and BJ Watling give the Black Caps a bit of top order quality down the order which will be important as someone like James Anderson can swing the ball both ways as the Test goes on. Anderson will be England's main man, he took 17 wickets in the West Indies. That's 17 wickets in three Test's, 17 wickets in six innings, that's very good.
The rest of England's bowling attack is also fairly decent with Stuart Broad expected to partner Anderson with the new ball and Chris Jordan picking up the third seamer duties. Stokes does a great job with the ball as their all rounder but a spanner could be thrown into the mix if Mark Woods or Liam Plunkett are selected. Jordan doesn't do much in terms of adding variety to England's bowling attack whereas Woods has shown that he can dish out skiddy reverse swingers and Plunkett bowls very quickly. Woods is coming off a great game for Durham where he took 2/35 and 4/39.
Perhaps England's best chance is to continue to write a new script and turn a few corners under the new guidance of Andrew Strauss and for this series, Paul Farbrace. Bringing in leg-spinner Adil Rashid could be the exciting selection that could spark England, the same can be said about Woods or Plunkett.
If England stick with the same old, only bringing in Lyth, then they could play in to the Black Caps hands. The kiwis are reasonably settled and know their current identity like the back of their hand, which makes it easier in terms of selections.
I'm picking this series to be all about the bowlers, both the seamers and the spinners. The spinners will play it relatively safe which will test their patience and the patience/skill of the batsmen while the seamers, well we've got some of the best in the world on display.
We'll check in just before the first Test starts. The 'New Zealanders start their match against Worchestershire today, keep an eye on the battles between Doug Bracewell and Matt Henry as well as Martin Guptill and Hamish Rutherford for their starting spots.