Will Young unlikely to get a run in Black Caps’ first home test of the summer against England
Fred Woodcock
November 26, 2024 •11:51am
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Will Young was impressive in the series sweep against India.Rajanish Kakade / AP
ANALYSIS: It feels like bad news looms for Will Young.
The
Black Caps batter was the player of the series in the stunning 3-0 series sweep of India last month but it’s difficult to see him getting a start in the first test of the home summer, against England in Christchurch starting on Thursday.
That seems like a remarkable statement given how good he was in India, but it underlines the batting depth at coach Gary Stead and captain Tom Latham’s disposal as they face some tough decisions over the next 24 hours.
Top of the list is whether or not they can find a place for Young in the XI. The other key question is who makes their debut as the fourth seamer - Nathan Smith or Jacob Duffy.
Stead gave a few (rather large) hints when he addressed media at Hagley Oval on Monday, with regards to the former.
Given the return from injury of Kane Williamson, who missed the India series, Young’s most likely route into the team would appear to be at the expense of offspinning allrounder Glenn Phillips, which would leave four seamers, Daryl Mitchell as a fifth seamer, and part-timer Rachin Ravindra as the only spin option on a wicket which has always favoured pace bowling.
But Stead twice indicated Phillips would play, firstly when he noted they’d have two spin options in the top seven, and then more strongly when he stated: “I don't think Glenn Phillips will be left out. He’s been superb for us over a number of test matches.”
With Latham, Devon Conway, Williamson, Ravindra and Mitchell all locks, that essentially only leaves the possibility of dropping wicketkeeper Tom Blundell, pushing Young into an opening spot alongside Conway and dropping Latham down the order to keep wickets.
But that is highly unlikely for two reasons; skipper Latham is New Zealand’s most established and successful test opener and, while his form was scratchy in the subcontinent, Blundell has a good record in New Zealand and will surely be given a chance to show that against England.
Stead said it was too early to make a call; him and Latham will assess the conditions and “that will be a decision we'll make in the next 24 hours or so and get clear on exactly what we want”.
“We've still got a little bit of scouting to keep doing as well and that will help us solidify our decisions,” said Stead, who noted Young was a “quality player” and “whether he plays or not won't change the fact that he is still a quality player”.
“Obviously, Kane will come back into the side ... and that will create some selection headaches that Tom and I will have to get our head around in the next day or two.”
Tim Southee, in his final test series, Will O’Rourke and Matt Henry are locks for three of the seamers, with Stead confirming debutants Smith and Duffy are contesting the fourth spot.
Duffy, 30, has eight ODIs and 15 T20s to his name while Smith, 26, played his first two ODIs against Sri Lanka this month.
Stead would not commit to Southee, New Zealand’s top international wicket-taker, playing all three tests in his swansong but said there were “signs in India of him having a bit of zip back” and he was excited for him.
“It's always nice when a player gets to choose on their own terms when they decide to leave. He's been a fantastic player for a long period of time.
“It's hard to un underestimate like the impact that he's had over the last 16 or 17 years playing for New Zealand. He's a great team man. He gets in and around all our players and he certainly understands what goes on at international level.
“So it'll be a big loss when he does finish.”
Saturday’s third day at the 8400-seat Hagley Oval has sold out, with limited tickets available for the remaining days of the first test.
Black Caps squad for England test series
Tom Latham (captain), Tom Blundell (wicketkeeper), Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner (2nd and 3rd tests only), Nathan Smith, Tim Southee, Kane Williamson, Will Young.
Possible Black Caps XI for first test in Christchurch
Latham (captain), Conway, Williamson, Ravindra, Mitchell, Blundell, Phillips, Smith, Henry, Southee, O’Rourke.
How to follow the first test
Live play-by-play updates on Stuff, live TV broadcast on TVNZ, first ball 11am Thursday
- Stuff
www.stuff.co.nz
