Blackcaps In Australia: And Again
After the first Test between Australia and Aotearoa felt like like another chapter in the 'Aussies bullying kiwis' cricketing novel, not much has changed after the Boxing Day Test. There are going to be numerous bloggy offerings over the next few days as there are all sorts of layers and nuance in sussing out the Blackcaps performance, let alone the fact that as far as entertainment goes, the second Test offered four days of gripping cricket funk.
Today, the day after another batting collapse, I'm going to lean into a more general debrief and then I've got some stuff about the spinning situation and perhaps compiling all the nuisance in selection and decision-making. When the Blackcaps lose two Tests in a row, rather comprehensively, a lot has gone wrong. When a lot has gone wrong, there is a lot to discuss and point out which then leaves me trying to settle on the biggest issue.
Right now, everything is an issue and as I venture down this path, it needs to be said that just because one aspect of the Blackcaps play isn't mentioned here, that doesn't mean it's not an issue. There are simply too many hefty issues to explore in one of these thingys and you lot can all see for yourself - youz don't need me to highlight endless problems. As the Blackcaps ventured through day four, there was a splash of excitement or anticipation about a rather crazy draw ... perhaps a victory.
The stage was set for the batsmen to dig in, put it all on the line and bat for almost two days in pursuit of 488 and an unlikely victory. For whatever reason, two days to grab 488 runs didn't feel impossible and even though it definitely didn't end up that way, there were patches on day four where the Aussie bowlers didn't look as dangerous and were battling against a splutter of counter-resistance. One bloke showed up.
The least experienced Blackcap in this team decided to command a sniff of greatness and as beautiful as Tom Blundell's century was, it was in rather yucky contrast to a Blackcaps batting line up that we have all celebrated as being among the best we've ever seen. Blundell's first innings went about as I expected, getting shifty outside his off-stump and failing a examination of his judgement around the 4th/5th stump line. Blundell's second innings though saw him bring together his natural stroke-play with grit, determination and general classy batsmanship.
This was to the point those who don't pay attention to domestic cricket in Aotearoa, mainly the Australians and international media, talked about Blundell as if he wasn't a wicket-keeper/batsman. Blundell's second innings had folks wondering where he's been for Aotearoa and we all know that Blundell has been patiently chillin' behind BJ Watling as Aotearoa's next up wicket-keeper/batsmen.
In the space of a week, Blundell has gone from a wicket-keeper/batsman who predominantly does his work in the middle order, to a Test opener. That's possibly the craziest yarn I've pondered in covering the Blackcaps and I can't over-state how bonkers this whole situation is. A wee bit frustrating because of how we got here and it's part of general selection mayhem that has plagued the Blackcaps for over two years, but for Blundell and appreciating Blundell's work, it's amazing.
Blundell literally had me feeling for hope, clutching at the insane possibility of a sporting miracle. Australia's bowlers were probing as always and Nathan Lyon was cashing in on the gift of bowling last on a MCG pitch that started tweaking heavily, yet everyone else in the Blackcaps batting line up not named Blundell decided cbf.
Like you, I was kinda in awe of what the Aussie bowlers were up to. I also felt though, that with the game on the line, the Blackcaps batsmen gave away their wickets with far too much ease. Part of Test cricket's beauty was evident in the chance the Blackcaps had to fight for a result, despite what had happened on the previous three days and all that mattered was batting two days, maybe dabbling in a run-chase.
Apart from a couple rippers from Lyon to dismiss BJ Watling and Mitchell Santner, there was a lack of skill, application and niggly grit from the batsmen. Where it's Tom Latham swiping outside off, Kane Williamson missing a straight one or Colin de Grandhomme doing what he does, heck, surely Henry Nicholls doesn't need to be sliding that far outside his crease. With a distant chance of a decent result, the Blackcaps found a way to slip up.
Instead of rallying around Blundell to amplify this occasion even further, batting around a bloke who showed up everyone else, we saw another collapse; the same collapse we have seen in the three previous innings of this series. Again, there are issues in every nook and cranny of this Blackcaps excursion to Australia and the combination of all the woes results in two heavy defeats. Scoring less than 200 three times, then rolled for 240 with little resistance is what I'm scratching my head about.
A layer of this is the narrative around the Blackcaps as a team that digs in, doesn't give up and at the very least stays in the contest to ... make it a contest. I'm not breaking any news here, we all know how the Blackcaps are viewed in Aotearoa but then also internationally (in keeping with how kiwis are viewed around the world) and we heard the Aussie commentators remind us throughout the Test how hard the Blackcaps were trying. This was and is super evident in the bowling and fielding, but we don't get to much of that spirit or mana in the batting.
That makes this rather confusing. Imagine how far a little dose of the Wagner mana would have gone in that fourth innings, or how far the fielding efforts of Williamson or Santner etc. With the ball, the Blackcaps can create wickets through their effort and save runs in the field, building pressure and an intensity. Flip it around and I'm reminded of a stinky vibe about the Blackcaps batting where they can't fight for a draw, let alone find a win from a hearty position.
The Blackcaps crumbled, for the fourth time this series. In complete contrast to the narrative around the Blackcaps as a team and it's rather weird. Williamson has 57 runs @ 14.25avg. Taylor's got a somewhat respectable tally of 108 runs @ 27avg, but that's not enough when touring Australia. Of all the issues, a lack of runs from Williamson and Taylor is the biggest issue as the Blackcaps desperately need their best players performing against the best opposition.
Apart from Blundell (one game), Taylor is the only batsman averaging over 20.
Watling, de Grandhomme, Latham, Nicholls and Williamson all averaging under 20. How is any team going to win in Australia with the bulk of their batting line up failing to that extent? Jeet Raval doesn't even look that mediocre compared to the rest of the batting line up and yet Raval was the scapegoat - which opened up the spot for Blundell and all of that.
Note: Nicholls has not passed 50 in nine Test innings/six Tests.
I guess it's just a bummer. The Blackcaps can beat up most teams in Aotearoa and it's lovely, filling our summer with good vibes. There is a nek level though that is on offer in taking dominant performances in favourable conditions, or against weaker opposition, to the big boys of Test cricket. At the moment, this Blackcaps team has a ceiling that they reach and our hope, optimism that they can break through and be a legit dominant force in Test cricket, also hits that ceiling.
It's a bummer to once again be bumped back down to reality by the Aussies.
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Peace and love 27.