Mitch Hay and Jacob Duffy celebrate the wicket of Sri Lanka's Kusal Perera. Photo / Photosport
Mitch Hay and Jacob Duffy celebrate the wicket of Sri Lanka's Kusal Perera. Photo / Photosport
After missing a World Cup semifinal spot for the first time in a decade, New Zealand’s T20 team seemed in desperate need of renewal.
Now, in their first home series since that disappointing tournament, the Black Caps have brushed aside Sri Lanka through the performances of four players whoweren’t in the squad six months ago.
The Otago veteran, who combined with rookie seamer Zak Foulkes to restrict Sri Lanka on Saturday, tonight ensured the efforts of Tim Robinson and Mitch Hay in building a total of 186 would be more than enough.
That quartet were unable to break into the Black Caps’ 15-man squad for a World Cup that ended in the group stage, snapping a run of three consecutive semifinals in the shortest form and six straight in white-ball cricket.
But with Tim Southee having bowed out of international cricket, and with central contracts passed up by Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson, Devon Conway and Finn Allen, each has made an instant impact in a refreshed lineup.
Before this series, Duffy had only once taken more than two wickets in a T20 – the 4-33 he snared on debut against Pakistan in 2020. The intervening four years featured sporadic appearances behind the senior seamers, showing few signs of what would be waiting for Sri Lanka.
The tourists, as in game one, seemed on course for a good crack at their target while reaching 127-3 with five overs to spare. But needing 60 from 30, Duffy bowled out the dangerous Kusal Perera to start the 16th and added two more scalps to secure victory in the 18th.
That ensured a well-crafted innings from the hosts wouldn’t be wasted, one started and finished by contrasting knocks of 41 from two batters playing their first series in New Zealand.
Robinson and Hay have directly benefited from the decisions of Allen and Conway, replacing that incumbent pair first on the subcontinent last month and now in Mount Maunganui.
Mitch Hay played a perfect closing role for the Black Caps. Photo / Photosport
Robinson, tasked with making the fast starts that were Allen’s forte, missed out in the series opener when dismissed for a scratchy 11 but immediately looked more settled at the crease in game two. The 22-year-old was off the mark with a booming straight six in the first over and soon established a handy stand with Mark Chapman.
Robinson struggled somewhat with an unexpectedly slow pitch and a strikerate of 121 would have been well below an ideal number given his role, but he still built a solid base before falling to Wanindu Hasaranga in the 10th over.
Chapman (42 off 29) and Glenn Phillips (23 off 16) looked to capitalise on that platform until their dismissals in consecutive overs threatened to leave the Black Caps slightly short. Fortunately for the home fans, that was when Hay came to the crease and carried out the closing duties with aplomb.
While showing some ability to add quick runs down the order for Canterbury, Hay has more readily attracted attention by grinding out significant scores in first-class cricket. Time was not on his side tonight and, after taking seven balls to adjust to the surface, Hay finished off the innings in a hurry.
The 24-year-old plundered 34 runs from his last 12 deliveries, cracking four fours and two sixes. Mixing flicks, drives and even a late ramp, Hay helped his side collect 62 from the final five overs.
With Conway having kept wicket at the World Cup, Hay now has a chance to lock down the No 6 spot before attempting to dislodge Tom Blundell from the test team. And with Robinson appearing capable of finding the boundary early and often, the pair could become mainstays of this new Black Caps team.
The Alternative Commentary Collective is covering every home Black Caps test this summer. Listen to live commentary here.
Kris Shannon has been a sports journalist since 2011 and covers a variety of codes for the Herald. Reporting on Grant Elliott’s six at Eden Park in 2015 was a career highlight.
