“The majority of the team is settled,” he stated. “We’ll have one final look obviously with the weather around and one final decision on whether an extra seamer or a spinner will play, but obviously with Devon Conway’s unfortunate injury Will Young comes in and will open the batting.
“Injuries are a part of cricket. But it additionally presents alternatives for different folks. Will Young’s coming off 60-odd not out within the Test in Hamilton towards South Africa.”
New Zealand coach Gary Stead admitted on Tuesday that not picking a specialist spinner in Hamilton was a mistake after South Africa offspinner Dane Piedt took eight wickets for the match while Rachin Ravindra bagged four and Glenn Phillips two, despite O’Rourke claiming nine on debut to be named Player of the Match.
Since the start of 2000, spin bowlers have averaged 40.84 at the Basin with the pace bowlers averaging 31.93. Southee said the presence of Ravindra and Phillips in the top six does give him some confidence that they have spin bowling options if they were to pick four seamers.
“Yeah [it does], and I believe you throw in Daryl Mitchell in addition to one other bowling choice,” Southee said. “It’s simply nice to have these guys, just like the Australian facet have the likes of Cam Green and Mitch Marsh. It helps to steadiness the facet while you’ve received guys within the within the high seven which can be in a position to assist out with the ball as effectively.”
Southee said he was excited to see O’Rourke unleashed at Australia’s top order after an outstanding performance on Test debut against South Africa.
“I believe what we noticed in Hamilton was one thing particular from a younger man,” Southee said. “He’s proven glimpses and there is been one thing about him. We’ve clearly watched him carefully during the last couple of years and he is received a variety of attributes that we favored and we noticed that in his Test debut and it is thrilling to see these guys make that transition from home cricket to worldwide cricket and I’m certain he’ll have an extended future on the highest stage.”
O’Rourke has the pace and steep bounce to cause Smith and others similar issues on the back foot but Southee said there will be no mandate for any of his newly-formed attack to follow Wagner’s methods against Australia’s best batter.
“He’s a top quality participant,” Southee said. “He’s clearly had an exceptional document and now he is moved to the highest.
“But I think it comes back to the individuals that we select. Obviously, Neil was extremely good at the role that he played. And he had a great tour to Australia a few years back and a lot of success against Steve. I guess you look at the type of bowlers that we will select and the way that they like to operate and all three or four bowlers will be different in the way they operate.”
Source web site: www.espncricinfo.com
.jpg)
