Black Caps fans must wait for a first glimpse of one young star but there will be no shortage of unseen talent lighting up Bay Oval tonight.
While skipper Mitchell Santner has confirmed the uncapped Bevon Jacobs will only watch the first T20 against Sri Lanka, another three youngprospects are set for home debuts when the three-match series begins at Bay Oval.
With wider stakes essentially absent in Mount Maunganui, most interest will lay in the hosts’ latest attempts to freshen their stocks, a gradual process that has already reaped success for a once-ageing team.
They join surprise IPL pick Jacobs as the sole members of a 13-man squad born since the millennium, each bringing 30 games of domestic experience and great hopes of contributing at the international level for years to come.
Robinson is a Wellington opener with a strike rate of 140, having captured the headlines by cracking 139 off 64 balls, the second-highest score in Super Smash history. The 22-year-old parlayed that knock into a New Zealand debut against Pakistan in April, hitting a maiden half-century before struggling on tough pitches in Sri Lanka last month.
Hay, a Canterbury wicketkeeper, made his debut in that split two-match series, following with an ODI bow against the same opposition while looming, aged 24, as the successor to Tom Blundell in the test team.
And domestic teammate Foulkes was Canterbury’s highest wicket-taker in last season’s Super Smash, breaking into the national side in Pakistan before shining with a rapid 27 and 3-20 during the first T20 in Sri Lanka.
Foulkes will tonight attempt to repeat that all-round impact, sharing seam duties with Matt Henry and Jacob Duffy, while Santner’s spin is supported by Michael Bracewell and Glenn Phillips.
Hay will take the gloves while batting below a middle order bolstered by veteran Daryl Mitchell, with Robinson opening alongside Rachin Ravindra and ahead of Mark Chapman at No 3.
Tim Robinson in action against Pakistan. Photo / AP
Santner, set for his first series since being appointed white-ball captain, suggested his initial advice would be straightforward for his young charges.
“Just to enjoy and embrace it,” he said. “It’s pretty cool playing in front of your home fans — it doesn’t get much better at a pretty nice ground.
“The moment can get the best of you at times, but it’s just about trying to relax and enjoy it. It’s just a game at the end of the day, and we’re all out there together.
“That’s kind of our mantra — to be all in it together and show that out in the field and back everyone. The trust is there from everyone behind whoever’s bowling and whoever’s batting, so just have freedom to embrace it and enjoy yourself.”
That message may be aimed in particular at Robinson, tasked with making the requisite fast start that in summers past has been the responsibility of Finn Allen.
The 47-cap opener will instead be swinging freely across the Tasman in the Big Bash League, having earlier this year turned down a central contract before Robinson’s initial attempts against Sri Lanka produced three runs in two innings.
“With the bat over in Sri Lanka, there were some challenging pitches, especially for Robbo,” said Santner. “He’ll be getting ready to get out there on a pretty good one.
“They’ve been picked for their skills and what they’ve done in domestic cricket, and it doesn’t change. We want them to have that freedom and to play their own way.
“The fizz levels for them and the whole squad are pretty high leading into a tough series.”
Black Caps team to play Sri Lanka in first T20
Tim Robinson, Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Daryl Mitchell, Mitch Hay (wk), Mitchell Santner (c), Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy.
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.
