Mitchell Santner comes into the Black Caps squad for Wellington test. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Black Caps coach Gary Stead has backed out-of-form batters Devon Conway and Tom Blundell, saying the main selection issue for the second test against England in Wellington is whether to play spinner Mitchell Santner.
Left-armer Santner, who starred for the New Zealand side in the India test series, comes into the squad for the tests in Wellington and Hamilton, after a pace-oriented attack took the field in the eight-wicket loss to England in the first test in Christchurch.
Stead is mindful of the 10 wickets that Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon took against his side at the Basin Reserve in March, while Glenn Phillips also took five wickets in that test with his off-spinners.
"That's the likely big decision to make," Stead said.
"I guess Mitch's selection is on the back of what happened in Wellington last year (sic) with it being very, very spin friendly. But we will monitor that when we get up there and have a look."
Santner replaces pace bowler Jacob Duffy, but Stead said there would be no other changes in the squad, barring injuries.
The drums have been beating for Will Young, who was in superlative form in the recent test series in India, to play in Wellington, particularly as Conway and Blundell have been battling for form. But Stead has backed them and dismissed a suggestion that Phillips could bat higher in the order than wicketkeeper Blundell in Wellington.
England bowler Chris Woakes runs down the wicket as he celebrates the dismissal of New Zealand batsman Tom Blundell during the first cricket test at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, Nov 30, 2024. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Blundell had innings of 17 and 0 in Christchurch, but the selectors had a lot of faith in him, Stead said.
"Tom Blundell played some critical innings for us a few tests back in Asia as well, and we think he's our man to keep coming right, and we have a lot of faith that he will do so."
Stead said Phillips had done a great job batting with the tail. "So if you start messing with that it's not just the one person you mess with."
Conway scored 2 and 8 in the eight-wicket loss in Christchurch and has tallied only 53 in his last five innings.
"Devon's a class player, and you don't lose that class over a week, a month. He wants more, don't get me wrong, but we still have a lot of faith in the way that Dev plays," Stead said.
As for the rash of dropped catches that afflicted the side in Christchurch, Stead said he wasn't expecting a repeat in Wellington.
"Our job is to hopefully fix that. I think some of the guys that dropped catches have been the most reliable fielders in our team for a long time. We certainly didn't expect that and certainly don't expect that to happen again."
