By Brian Thomas
New Zealand cricket administrators kept no stones unturned when they toured England this Summer to meet India in the WTC final. Hurting from their runners-up berth in White ball Cricket back in England in the World cup, their objective was let’s get in right this time.
They ensured that the key is to stimulate themselves to English conditions, where the Duke Ball swings more than any cricket-playing nation in world venues, thus they got the job done meticulously.
Now with a new look T20 Squad, they are in Bangladesh. New stand-in coach, In Greg Pocknall, new Captain in Thomas Lathem, hence everything from the kiwi team perspective looks new.
New Zealand minus their big guns, all tuning up for the World T 20 series in the UAE come October, seem to have the bench strength that India have. They seem to follow the Indian pattern of trying out new hopefuls against an international outfit.
New Zealand have a commitment this Summer and with the biobuble rotation, rest to key players, an opportunity to youngsters looks a well-planned way forward, in reaching excellence
The back caps have not enjoyed the low and slow bounce with the pitches deteriorating, game by game in the Tiger soil, but they spent the winter simulating foreign conditions defined as the ” Winter Camp “.
New Zealand will be on show for the 5 T 20 series minus, Kane Williamson, Tent Boult, Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson, and Martin Guptil. In fact, none of the Kiwi big wigs in pursuit for another World Cup silverware in their cabinet of trophies scheduled to be played in the UAE, are on tiger soil.
Tom Lathem, Hendry Nicholls, Tom Blundell, Colin De Grand Homme , Ajaz Patel , Matt Hendry are expected to swim ashore with the rest of the relatively newcomers against a strong Tiger outfit in their home cage. It will interesting to see how their Winter camp on spin-friendly simulator preparation will give the blackcaps freedom on the Bangladeshi pitches.
New Zealand have won only one match out of their eight outings in the White ball format in Bangladesh. Let’s also take into account the drubbing Muhamadulla and co dished out to the Australians last month.
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