Blackcaps Test Transitions and Transformations: Chapter Tahi
At some stage during the early summer months, it dawned on me that the Blackcaps Test team was going to taste the shenanigans that a busy Test schedule offers. As New Zealand Cricket neglected Test cricket (and continue to neglect Plunket Shield cricket) in favour of the sexy coloured clothing, Aotearoa's home Test schedule was reduced to a couple Tests at the start and end of the summer. That provided ample time for the same group to chill, stay fit and avoid the perils of a loss of form.
This summer not only saw a cheeky spike in the quality of opposition, it featured more Test cricket. We had come to find comfort in seeing the same blokes pop up in their whites sporadically and the summer of 2019/20 gave us a shake up, a jiggle of the Blackcaps Test group. Transition and transformation was a vibe that permeated throughout all Blackcaps cricket this summer, yet the Test team saw the greatest shift and as we kick back in late March, we move into the winter months with a far more interesting Blackcaps Test landscape.
Lockie Ferguson commanded much of the attention prior to the Test series vs England, although at the time this felt like a standard kiwi practice of fiending for a fast bowler when the opposition arrives with a fast bowler. This was a small sign that the once settled Blackcaps bowling attack could be open for freshies, either through form or injury.
In observing the Blackcaps, I leaned towards Matt Henry getting the nod because of the hearty team vibe that has seen squad members rewarded for their drinks-running duties. That's how it eventually played out, however this was the last of such moments as a whole gang of changes would be rolled out thanks to a busier schedule. Henry, was perhaps the first victim of transformation...
Matt Henry
Vs England: 33 overs, 1w @ 87avg.
Vs Australia: 44 overs, 2w @ 74avg.
Other bowlers stepped up at various times this summer, while Henry struggled to contribute and like other lads, Henry may now be a reminder of the previous era. Henry's Test career has been the strangest of recent memory and reflects the nature of how the Blackcaps schedule influenced team selection as Henry's played 12 Tests in almost five years. Nine of those Tests came prior to 2018 and Henry has never played more than four Tests in a year.
Regardless of how you view Henry's ability as a Test seamer, it's hard not to feel a little empathy for Henry and how difficult it must be to pop up for a Test here, then another Test a few months later ... while trying to perform at a Test level. It's very easy to peep Henry's Test bowling average of 50.16 and believe that Henry's shit, between a First-Class average of 25.48 and his sporadic opportunities, I definitely view these as factors in Henry's Test struggles.
Then again, as we've seen throughout this summer; when it's your time, you gotta shine.
Henry's future Blackcaps Test involvement right now feels like it will be heavily dependent on what the likes of Ferguson and Kyle Jamieson get up to in future fixtures. I doubt there will be a Kiwi County Tour for Henry to demand attention as he has done in recent winters, while Henry finished the Plunket Shield among the best seamers with 17w @ 29avg. Not his best, no signs of a drastic slide though.
Kiwi cricket fans have come to expect Henry's name in Test squads and that vibe is unlikely to continue in the immediate cricketing future - aka when cricket resumes. Henry wasn't much of a factor vs England and this came alongside Jeet Raval crawling his way to 24 runs in 3inns @ 8avg vs England. Raval was horribly out of form prior to the England series, having scored 37 runs in 3inn @ 12.33avg in Sri Lanka a few months before England's arrival.
I'll leave Raval there as his plot arc continues into the next chapter. Colin de Grandhomme's injury after the first Test vs England, was the first major moment of funk served up by the schedule. While de Grandhomme would go on to play all five Tests after the England series, his absence for the second Test vs England pointed to the natural rotation of players that regular Tests/Test series delivers. De Grandhomme's absence opened a spot for Daryl Mitchell to make his debut and Mitchell made the most this slither of opportunity.
Mitchell scored 73 on Test debut and as a like-for-like de Grandhomme replacement, Mitchell also bowled 22 overs without a wicket. In what could be considered a low key flex in this context, this was Mitchell's only Test appearance of the summer, highlighted a splash of depth across the various Blackcaps Test roles. When a batsman was needed, a batsman was promoted and when a bowler was needed, a bowler got the call up. When a legit all-rounder was needed, Mitchell got his opportunity.
Obviously, the summer of transition and transformation doesn't result in immense clarity for the team and individuals. I've got no idea where Mitchell sits in the bigger picture other than him being part of the top-20 longform players in Aotearoa. However, de Grandhomme wasn't going to leave that door open for Mitchell to pounce further and an intriguing idea here is that in the summer of transition and transformation, some players like de Grandhomme embedded themselves into Blackcaps Test matters even deeper.
There is a tension throughout this between those of the previous era and those coming into the mix; small individual battles that competitive depth provides. In this case, Mitchell took his opportunity as well as de Grandhomme fighting off Mitchell's challenge and that is oddly beautiful in itself. In the all-rounder bubble, de Grandhomme is still the big donnie and as there was not further action in the genuine all-rounder position as the summer rolled on, I'll finish with de Grandhomme's undercover work.
Against England, de Grandhomme has the lowest bowling average of any bowler, although he didn't bowl on the Seddon Park road. De Grandhomme took 3w @ 18.66 in 33 overs in Tauranga, followed by 7w @ 41avg in 111ov against Australia and 2w @ 37avg in 41ov against India. Remember de Grandhomme's role here, as he's a third-option if the stars align, more often than not he is the fourth or fifth option and steady wickets, along with economical spells is his job.
De Grandhomme conceded less than 2pro vs England and India, then 2.58rpo vs Australia. I view that as de Grandhomme playing his role and that's the same with his batting as although de Grandhomme didn't dominate with the bat, he chimed in with nifty innings and when combined with his bowling, that's de Grandhomme fitting his work into a team.
This summer, through six games, de Grandhomme averaged 31.33 with the bat and 34.75 with the ball. Not great numbers for a batsman or a bowler, for an all-rounder those are typical job-doing numbers and the solid nature of de Grandhomme (kinda always takes 1w and scores 25) then comes with regular notable contributions; de Grandhomme hit two 50+ scores (three 40+ scores) and took 2+ wickets in four of the six Tests.
Factor in the quality of de Grandhomme's wickets as well. The first Test vs England, de Grandhomme dismissed both England openers in the first innings after that had got decent starts, then de Grandhomme snared Joe Root in the second innings after he had faced 51 deliveries. De Grandhomme took 7w vs Australia in three Tests, here is how they break down...
Aussie Test Victims (in order)
Joe Burns, Mathew Wade, Marnus Labuschagne, Mathew Wade, Joe Burns, Steve Smith, Tim Paine.
All of de Grandhomme's wickets were batsman, six of these wickets were in Australia's top-five. Then de Grandhomme's only wicket in the first Test vs India was Ishant Sharma, before snaring Virat Kohli in the second Test. This is merely a cool thought; de Grandhomme dismissed Joe Root, Steve Smith and Virat Kohli this summer.
We still don't know if de Grandhomme can bat to save a Test, however most cricket fans around Aotearoa know what to expect from de Grandhomme in the sense of reasonable contributions every Test. This wasn't the summer of de Grandhomme, it wasn't a breakout bonanza for de Grandhomme, this did feel like de Grandhomme settling into his groove and how de Grandhomme fits into the Blackcaps Test 1st 11.
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Peace and love 27.