CWC 2019, SWOT analysis – New Zealand
New Zealand became the first team to announce their 15-man squad for the 2019 ICC World Cup in England. The one major surprise was the inclusion of 28-year old wicketkeeper-batsman Tom Blundell, who is yet to be capped by the Black Caps in the 50-over format of the game.
The selectors have laid heavy emphasis on all-rounders with Jimmy Neesham, Colin de Grandhomme and Mitchell Santner all making the squad.
The batting line-up will be led by skipper Kane Williamson with steady backing from the likes of Ross Taylor, Colin Munro, Tom Latham and Martin Guptill. They also have a strong fast bowling unit on paper with the likes of Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson. Leggie Ish Sodhi is the sole specialist spinner in the 15-man squad.
Tom Blundell, who has a domestic average of 37.74 and a List A average of 23.81 was the selection which will surprise most, due to his inexperience in the 50-over format. He has been capped in the Test arena though, playing two Test matches and scoring 136 runs at an average of 68. He is likely to act as the back-up to Tom Latham, who will bat in the middle order and keep wickets for the team.
New Zealand will open their World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka on June 1st at the Sophia Gardens in Cardiff.
New Zealand squad: Kane Williamson (c), Ross Taylor, Tom Latham (wk), Tom Blundell (wk), Mitchell Santner, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Colin Munro, Ish Sodhi, Henry Nicholls, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Jimmy Neesham
Strengths –
On paper, the New Zealand outfit looks pretty balanced. They have batsmen like Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, who have proven their mettle over the years in the international arena. They also have some devastating hitting prowess at the top of the order as Martin Guptill and Henry Nicholls can take the game away from the opposition on a good day, though they have often struggled for consistency.
Trent Boult has established himself as one of the best bowlers in the ODI format of the game and will be looking to replicate his heroics from the 2015 edition, where he was among the top wicket-takers. He will get some assistance in the English conditions as the ball will swing up front. Lockie Ferguson will provide raw pace in the bowling department, though he can leak some runs when put under pressure. Depending on the conditions, there will be a toss-up between Tim Southee and Matt Henry on who becomes the third seamer in the playing XI. Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner round-up the bowling department as the two spin options.
The Blackcaps have always had a rich tradition of stacking up their team with all-rounders and the 2019 squad is no different. Colin de Grandhomme and Jimmy Neesham can contribute with both the bat and the ball and whoever gets the go-ahead in the playing XI, will also be tasked with playing the role of batting finisher in the death overs of the match. Mitchell Santner can also contribute with the bat if given a chance in the XI.
Weaknesses –
Though the current squad would dearly love to replicate their performances from the previous edition, where they reached the finals, they lack the killer punch in terms of quality to go all the way. Their weaknesses were thoroughly exposed in the home series against India, where they had to face the ignominy of a 4-1 defeat. Many batters in their lineup are often inconsistent and the bowling department compared to the other favourites in the tournament, lacks the penetration. The bowlers also often depend upon help from the wicket to make inroads through the opposition batting order. The all-rounders though good bits and pieces cricketers aren’t in the elite category when compared to the likes of Andre Russell, Hardik Pandya and Ben Stokes
Opportunities –
For New Zealand, this will be a big opportunity to clinch their first ever World Cup. They have a great work ethic in their unit and some genuine world-class quality. Trent Boult and Tim Southee will be a handful in the English conditions and in Kane Williamson, they have one of the best batters in the world.
They also have a decent group of all-rounders and bat deep in the order. Having gotten so close in 2015, they will fancy playing on the English pitches which aren’t too different from the ones back at home.
Threats –
They have the quality to make the semi-finals, but the pressure will be firmly on the shoulders of Kane Williamson and Trent Boult who are the two genuine world-class performers in their ranks. But sides like England, India and Australia, who have found their mojo again, simply have more in terms of depth and quality, to be better equipped to lift the holy grail of game in 2019.
