Colin de Grandhomme of New Zealand bowls during Day 2 of the first Test Match between England and New Zealand at Lord's Cricket Ground. Photo / Getty Images.
Colin de Grandhomme of New Zealand bowls during Day 2 of the first Test Match between England and New Zealand at Lord's Cricket Ground. Photo / Getty Images.
OPINION:
In the spirit of constant improvement, the New Zealand test cricket selectors have options to mull when the side move to Birmingham for the second test, and ultimately Southampton for the world championship final against India.
This team has not reached its current zenith courtesy of kneejerk responses, buttheories must be explored. Ducks to Colin de Grandhomme and Mitchell Santner in the first innings of the opening test at Lord's might require a microscope trained on the all-rounder ranks.
Team manager Mike Sandle recently offered this description of how the side has built consistency: "It's like the sharemarket. Over a period of time you'll have peaks and troughs but generally the bigger picture will show whether you're heading in the right direction. Don't get caught up in short-term results and become reactive."
As it happens, the Black Caps' 378 is a competitive first innings at Lord's. Only once, when New Zealand made 386 in 2004, has a visiting side scored more in the opening dig and lost.
Nevertheless, the tourists had been 288 for three before a stoic Henry Nicholls knock ended on 61. Then four wickets were jettisoned for six runs in the space of 52 balls as the Long Room morphed into a batting rush hour.
Any critique can be distracted by Devon Conway's 200-run decoy, the highest score by a player on debut in England. What a way to swagger onto the test scene.
However, this side will want to inch towards perfection ahead of the biggest match in New Zealand's 81-year test history. A squad of 20 embellishes the choice available.
Devon Conway celebrates reaching 200 by raising his bat. Photo / Getty Images.
One: keep the incumbents, remembering they are still to showcase their skills to full capacity with the ball, or the bat in the second innings.
Much depends on the faith placed in de Grandhomme's return to match fitness after the foot injury which blighted the majority of his summer. This is his first test in 15 months. The value of his bludgeoning batting with an average of 35.90, and his nibbling seamers for 47 wickets at 31.89 cannot be underestimated in England.
Santner has not passed 27 in seven completed innings since his maiden century against England in November 2019. His 41 wickets have come at an average of 44.31 but that at least reduces to 24 at 28.54 in the third or fourth innings. His experience at international limited overs level could also be handy in cauldron situations.
Both are sharp fielders, too.
Two: bring in Daryl Mitchell and Ajaz Patel.
Mitchell has looked to the manor born since debuting against England at Hamilton in November 2019. He's also coming off a maiden test century, albeit in relatively comfortable circumstances against Pakistan in Christchurch. But for now, he has been Redmonded. His bowling, with one wicket from 36 overs in four tests offers less guile than de Grandhomme, but 17 Plunket Shield wickets at 17.64 for victorious Canterbury last season eases some doubt.
As for Patel, he has built a pedigree in his eight tests for bowling New Zealand to victory in the fourth innings, as demonstrated twice against Pakistan in the UAE. The Edgbaston pitch has offered turn in its most recent two outings with 12 wickets, including nine to Nathan Lyon, at the 2019 Ashes, and 10 in the 2018 Pataudi Trophy fixture. Come Southampton for the WTC final, the ground staff will surely prepare a pitch which provides a seam-spin balance.
Three: back Kyle Jamieson as the all-rounder at number seven and insert Patel at 11.
This option brings the most risk, and potentially the most reward. Jamieson, the former schoolboy opening batsman, has an average of 47 from seven innings. He has shown a solid technique with a penchant to attack. Such a move would place an onus on the top six to perform but mean Jamieson, Neil Wagner, Tim Southee and Trent Boult all fit into the XI, while catering for arguably the country's most attacking spinner.
