'We've got raw pace, spin and allrounders' – NZ pack their side with versatile players

Between Lockie Ferguson, Ben Sears, and Will O’ Rourke, New Zealand’s mens’s side have their high-pace, high-bounce options covered. These are the kinds of bowlers that tend to find ways to trouble batters on any surface you roll out for them.

But what if, in Pakistan and Dubai, through the course of the Champions Trophy, it is spin that makes the difference? We’ve seen how tournaments in Asia tend to play out. Through the course of a packed schedule, the squares wear substantially, and by the end you’re playing on tired decks, the average scores nosediving by the business end.

New Zealand will play in Karachi in the tournament opener, have a game in Rawalpindi, and their final group match in Dubai. They’ve got to be ready for whatever comes, though they will also have the additional preparation of a short-and-sharp tri-series in Pakistan in the lead-up to the big event. So, they’ve packed their squad with players who offer serious versatility.

“If there is a little bit of turn, we can have Bracewell bat at No. 7, and I can go at No. 8,” Santner said. “We have options, which is great for our squad. We’ve got raw pace, we’ve got the spin, and the allrounders as well.”

Santner took two wickets through this period and Bracewell had also struck. Phillips had snuck in three cheap overs, conceding just 12 in this three overs. Santner compared his two offspin options.

“They’re both very good offspinners in their own right. They’re both different, I think. On a wicket like that, Bracewell can get a bit more bounce – a little more over the top. Even the three overs that GP bowled were good for us, and Glenn has worked a lot on his bowling, as we’ve seen, in the longer format.”

New Zealand’s general strategy for global tournaments has been to stack their side with players who are capable of making vital contributions at some point through the course of the campaign, and they appear to be following this template again. All four of these spin bowlers are outstanding fielders – Phillips worthy of being recognised as one of the best in the world at the moment.

There is also the sense that by packing their XI with all-round talents, they have players to call on, whatever the match situation they are posed with. Two finals appearances and a semi-final berth in the last three ODI World Cups suggest that versatility has worked for them.

“We like to stick to the same team once we’ve picked it, but that’s conditions-dependent,” Santner said. “Karachi could play a lot different to Rawalpindi, which could play different to Dubai. With the short nature of the tournament, if you’re happy with your XI, you want them to perform for all three games. But we’re open to changes.”

Andrew Fidel Fernando is a senior writer at ESPNcricinfo. @afidelf