Aotearoa's fascination with pace stems directly from the lack of true-blue fast bowling in Aotearoa. So when someone who can tick over 150km/h comes along, they become Aotearoa's bowling saviour and this even exists to a lesser extent with those who can nudge 140km/h. You can even see this love affair in how Tim Southee is viewed as he's never bowling as fast as everyone wants, or hopes he could - despite still taking wickets.

Perhaps this is why Adam Milne has been one of the few consistent selections in recent times (outside of the OG crew; Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Trent Boult, Southee etc) and as other players in a similar position have been mentally tortured by the yo-yo treatment, Milne's had a pretty easy ride in ODIs. To keep it a hunnit; Milne hasn't really done much to demand ODI selection though.

Milne was selected in the Champions Trophy squad, by merely proving his fitness. Having made his return to Plunket Shield cricket, Milne averaged 60.33 and then went on to play in the IPL where he averaged 44.66 and conceded 9.57rpo (Milne's IPL career consists of five games, 44.25avg/9.83rpo). His IPL work was cited as reason to select him for the Blackcaps, despite not playing an ODI or Ford Trophy game last summer.

Milne was selected for the CT having only played four-day and T20 cricket last summer. That's weird enough as it is, then you've got the fact that Milne wasn't overly good in either of those stints and well, exactly the sort of selection decision we have come to expect from Lesson. Lesson did however produce a stroke of genius in selecting Milne for the CT as he took 6 wickets in three games @ 24.33avg/6.84rpo. Chur Lesson, you da bomb.

Unfortunately, that's a dramatic out-lier, bucking the trend of Milne not being very good. I'm not sure how you like your stats, so I'll serve up the South Auckland buffet and you can choose what you want. Stats can be twisted, morphed and used to suit an argument, but I Milne's stats paint a fairly comprehensive picture that seems to be happily ignored by people who are paid money to make decisions:

See Milne's Plunket Shield/IPL stats above.

Milne has taken 3+ wickets twice in 38 ODIs.

Milne has taken 0 wickets in 10 of 38 ODIs.

Milne has an ODI bowling average of 39.36.

Milne averaged 44 for Kent in English County cricket this winter.

Milne has one 5-wicket-haul in First-Class cricket.

Milne averages 38.85 in ODIs, in Aotearoa.

The first ODI was Milne's third game in India on this tour where he hasn't taken a wicket and Milne has played three games on tour. To me, this smells like a buffet of fancy food full of tiny portions that defeat the whole purpose of a buffet as Milne has the appeal of the fancy food, but there's not a whole lot of substance there. I love buffets because I get fed, I get substance and right now I'm wondering what Milne has actually done to demand Blackcaps ODI selection, just as I'd be wondering why I got lamb sliders at a buffet.

Milne was again slotted in as the third seamer against India and conceded 6.88rpo without a wicket off his nine overs. Tim Southee conceded 7.30rpo, but took 3 wickets and Milne also chipped in with 3 wides. I'm happy for Milne to keep getting selected in this Indian ODI series because I'm eager to see how Milne responds and that flows on from my whole vibe of using three ODIs in India to see who is demanding Blackcaps selection moving forward to the World Cup.

Aotearoa has bowlers who can be given an opportunity if Milne doesn't snap up his chance; Matt Henry looks like a bowling wizard compared to Milne. Henry's taken a wicket in all four 50-over games in India so far and has an ODI average of 25.26, with four 4-wicket-hauls and two 5-wicket-hauls. When you put Henry up against Milne, this makes no sense at all and I can only think that Lesson get excited because Milne bowls fast.

But Milne is the third seamer right now and I can fuck with that because - although there was no basis to select Milne for the CT - his form in the CT earned him a another series. There's no issue here if Milne demands further selection by taking wickets and restricting runs in the remaining two ODIs. Henry just has to wait his turn, that's how sport goes and how this situation pans out is purely up to Milne.

Ah, it could be up to Lesson though. If they chop and change this ODI team then things will get weird again, here's hoping they pick and stick to let players suss out their place in the best Blackcaps ODI team.

Peace and love 27.

Hit an ad to show your support to the Niche Cache. You'll be making a donation, without having to actually pay anything. That's like a free buffet kinda, no lamb sliders though.