They're staring down the barrel of an embarrassingly lopsided series sweep against Australia, but the Black Caps at least have an opportunity to correct one of their biggest blunders.
The Black Caps are set to name a replacement for the injured Trent Boult tomorrow,and only one name makes sense to be on a flight on Sydney.
Will Somerville's cricketing career was resurrected when playing in New South Wales, and it's time for his journey to come full-circle with a return to the region to play in the third and final test.
Flying in another fast bowler to replace Boult – who is out for four weeks after fracturing his hand - would be pointless, with Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson providing the requisite cover to replace Boult in the starting XI, and few enticing options available.
The Black Caps need to bring in a replacement for the injured Trent Boult. Photo / AP
When picking Jamieson to replace Lockie Ferguson after the first test in Perth, it was indicated that a player from the recent New Zealand A clash against England would be preferred, which would leave Blair Tickner and Scott Kuggeleijn as the front-runners. Tickner averages 39.8 with the ball in first-class cricket, while from New Zealand Cricket's perspective, surely Kuggeleijn's talents are not worth the potential headlines his call-up would create, given the long odds he'd actually play.
However, an extra spinner could be an asset on a SCG pitch predicted to offer the most turn in this series. Australia called in leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson to give themselves another spinning option for the third test, and while the Black Caps have leg-spinner Todd Astle waiting in the wings, the superior accuracy and bounce of Somerville could be a handy point of difference.
Will Somerville shone overseas. Photo / Getty
Although Astle edges Somerville with the bat, Somerville's variations could be used as an excuse to launch him into the starting XI ahead of the two incumbent spinners, as the Black Caps simply can't go into Sydney with Mitchell Santner as their sole spinner, after his returns of 1-250 in Australia so far, at a loose economy rate of 3.6 an over.
Somerville, who was named in Auckland's Twenty20 side for their match tomorrow afternoon - possibly a sign that he's been looked over once more – has claimed 14 wickets at an average of 25.1 in his three tests, and while the selectors wanted Santner's superior batting skills in New Zealand and Australian conditions, he has shown little signs of those talents against the short-pitched bowling from the Australian speedsters.
Ajaz Patel would be the other potential spinning option, but didn't particularly impress when given a chance outside the subcontinent. Although he was asked to bowl in unfavourable conditions in New Zealand, and was economical, Patel bowled 43 wicketless overs, perhaps handing the edge to the Somerville as the Black Caps attempt to rescue some respectability from a disastrous series.
