Opinion
The Blackcaps will be hoping to bounce back in this afternoon’s second test in Galle after going down to Sri Lanka a few days ago.
Both sides established batting parity in the opening test’s first three days with New Zealand’s batters enjoying a relatively benign surface on Day two. However chasing 270-odd on a fourth and fifth-day surface was never going to be easy, and despite some defiance from Rachin Ravindra, the Kiwis fell 63 runs short in their fourth innings on a pitch that deteriorated into a classic bunsen burner.
Ajaz Patel once again made the most of his limited opportunities in the test flannels snaring 8 wickets across two innings, while Will O’Rourke enhanced his credentials with a first innings 5-for.
However, concerns amongst the cricketing public regarding the ongoing viability of Captain Tim Southee as a red-ball leader were reinforced by his combined return of 1-87 across 30 relatively toothless overs.
While the development of O’Rourke is encouraging, Southee appears to have become a victim of father time. It almost seems criminal that the underrated Matt Henry is forced to sit on the sidelines while Coach Gary Stead sticks by the veteran who has taken 391 wickets across 101 tests at an average of just under 30.
When coupled with his cavalier approach to batting-often in situations that demand a cooler head from a team’s leader-Southee’s captaincy qualifications are under the microscope of an expectant Blackcap’s faithful.
For this series, the selectors have opted to complement Patel, a potential match-winner in South Asian conditions, with a rag-tag Frankenstein of a spin attack comprising of a previously ineffective-at-test-level Mitchell Santner, the improving but inexperienced Glenn Phillips and some left-arm orthodox from Rachin Ravindra with allrounder back-up from the so-far-unused Michael Bracewell.
Spin is expected to dominate once again, meaning nude-turn exponent Santner must master the drift and guile he employs to such aplomb in the white ball game. If a change is to be made, he is most at risk of carrying the drinks with the case for Bracewell to be included on the strength of his batting given impetus by the former’s twin failures in the first test.
On the eve of the game, Coach Stead told ESPN Cricinfo that putting a good first-dig score on the board was paramount:
“The pitch can change quite quickly and we saw that, “Stead said.
“From being relatively good off the straight areas, to then spinning, quite a bit on that fourth day. The conditions can change very quickly.
“So I think every run you get in the first innings is very important. And making sure you can post as large a total as possible, as that means it’s just less runs you have to score in the second innings, “he added.
Regardless of the selection debate, the toss will be crucial, and the Blackcaps will be hoping fate provides the opportunity to capitalise on the best of the conditions and square the series.
Coverage starts at 4:30 NZ time and is live on Sky Sport.
