Ten tremendous things about the BLACKCAPS Test team

Sport Review #157

The first World Test Championship Final starts tonight, us v India to see who’s best. New Zealand, New Zealand was first to qualify and is currently the number one ranked Test team in the world.

It wasn’t always this way. If you’re old enough, you remember Hadlee, Coney and Cairns, but you may also remember the 2000’s. There can’t be any serious debate that this is our greatest Test team ever, not just for a series or two, but for a sustained period of achievement, with proper strength in depth and succession planning. The good stuff.

Following the team over the last few years has been a privilege and the next five nights will be a wild, sleep deprived ride. Here’s the top ten best things about our Test team.

Neil Wagner’s wicket face

Deeply primal and disturbing, but absolutely magnificent. Be glad he’s on our side.

Follow on and declaration debates

Should we really try and bury them or get in there and finish it now? Are the bowlers fit enough to turn around and do it again, or will the pitch flatten out? Is it best to put them in and try and nick 2-3 before stumps? How will this affect the rest of the series?

Look at us New Zealand, debating follow ons and declarations like we’ve been doing it all our lives. These are the conversations you get to have when you’re dominating Tests, not just getting through to day three. We’re lucky to be arguing like this, generations before us have never had this experience.

Last day drama

Pakistan at Mount Maunganui. India at Eden Park. England at Hagley. Sri Lanka at the Basin. It’s worth sticking with this team because they’re never out of it, and we’ve been there fighting on last days where previously we’d have been packed up and on the golf course.

Selection problems

Everyone’s got a Test XI. It’s really, really hard to pick the bowlers, let alone the line up. Players that won us the second Test just days ago are on the plane home. It’s brutal business making and staying in the Test team right now. Pick a spinner? What was YOUR plan for levering Devon Conway in? Which all rounder? Pick your 6-7-8!

So many options, so many awesome problems to have and a far cry from ‘which domestic cricketer who’s led the averages for three weeks do we throw in front of the Aussies?’ Selection issues are testament to the performances of those in the team, as well as carefully making sure we can replace them with quality should they get injured or retire.

BJ Watling’s black cap

If you’re picked for the team, you get a new one. If you make a massive contribution and work hard, you make a cool-looking one with sweat stains like this.

All rounders

‘All rounders’ used to cover a multitude of sins, with (no disrespect) players that were more bits and pieces picked rather than genuine threats with the bat and the ball.

We started this Test run with Corey Anderson and Jimmy Neesham and end it with Colin De Grandhomme, Daryl Mitchell and Mitchell Santner all with Test tons and more than capable of doing damage with the ball, to suit the conditions. They’re bloody handy to have.

Nice guys

There’s been plenty written about how we play, hard, but without cockiness and abuse. We’re certainly confident and there’s not “no* chirping at the batsmen, but it’s not over the top, not personal and everyone’s comfortable being themselves.

We won new fans everywhere with our dignity after the W***d C*p F***l, and if your kids play cricket, there’s a whole squad of role models you’d be more than comfortable for them to adopt.

Cable knit

Obviously the coolest piece of cricketing knitwear out, it was brought back after a period of polyester oblivion at the players request, to connect the current team with the traditions of the past. We’ve been magnificent ever since, you do the math.

Kane Williamson’s bat

The middle has taken more punishment than Simon Doull’s Hallensteins loyalty card, and is the deepest red you’ll ever see.

Leadership

One of the most remarkable parts of this story is the transition from coaches and captains Mike Hesson and Brendon McCullum to Gary Stead and Kane Williamson while hardly skipping a beat. The Cape Town hotel room planning session after we were bowled out for 45, where we decided we were going to be hard to beat, and represent the country in a way everyone could be proud of set out a clear vision for the decade, and meant everyone could buy in, from the players to the fans. The support staff, led by manager Mike Sandle, play a massive role in setting and maintaining standards and keeping the focus where it needs to be.

Thanks for reading - Richard

This week's best NZ sport content

Michael Appleton has five burning questions on the BLACKCAPS v India, while Heather Dawson checks in on your hopes and dreams ahead of the big one [Spinoff, Sportsfreak]

We’ve had the Cricket Monthly treatment for this week, with a long profile of Trent Boult, and Andrew Fidel Fernando on this era that started in South Africa and what’s happened since [Cricket Monthly]

Alex Braae talks to a sleep expert about how badly you’re going to mess yourself up through the test final. Oh, and The OffSpin podcast is back and will be reporting on each day’s play through the final [The Spinoff]

Between Two Beers’ chat with Rebecca Rolls of the White Ferns, Football Ferns and a serious police, public service, media and governance career is a fantastic listen [Between Two Beers]

Kieth Miller with a super well researched piece on problematic, culturally appropriating sport team names, something we’re not far removed from (cough Chiefs, Warriors cough) here [Sportsfreak]

D’Arcy Waldegrave asks if this is it for New Zealand and Team New Zealand [NZ Herald]

Video nasty

Why Nikola Jokic is the best big centre ever.

Long read

Imogen Greenfield investigates Centrepoint, hearing some survivors of the awful sex n drugs commune that happened right on the edge of Albany. This article is from 2015 and is recommend, especially if you watched the recent TVNZ doc [North and South]

Recommendation 

If this forecast rain turns up in Southampton, just flick on Howzat, the TV dramatisation of Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket, it’s on Netflix.

Bring back the gif 

When there’s a World Test Championship final on.

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