Will O’Rourke reckons New Zealand’s mix-and-match squad has settled quickly enough in Bangladesh to “put our best foot forward and win the series”. The third and final one-dayer in Chattogram on Wednesday is all square at 1-1 after two fairly different games in Dhaka, and the 22-year-old seamer sounds convinced the visitors have learnt fast.
Most of the senior Black Caps are earning a crust at the IPL or polishing up at the PSL, so the touring party is light on caps. That hasn’t meant a light touch. A 26-run victory in the opener was followed by Bangladesh’s six-wicket reply, leaving tomorrow’s decider neatly poised.
O’Rourke, on his first trip to the country, keeps stressing adaptability. “I think we’ve got a pretty new group here, like a lot of us haven’t been here before and haven’t played too much in Bangladesh,” he said at training. “I think coming on the tour we always knew we were going to have to adapt on the day and see what the pitch has for us.”
The first pitch at Mirpur stayed low and spat a bit of spin; the second had more pace and even bounce. O’Rourke expects another shift. “I just walked past (the pitch) briefly there. It looks like another nice deck. I thought the last two decks looked nice as well, so I don’t know what I’m talking about too much, but it’s been good so far,” he laughed. A strip with a tinge of grass normally helps the quicker men, but the outfield already looks parched, so anything past the ring could race away.
Coach Luke Ronchi – looking after the group while Gary Stead remains at home – has asked his attack to “whack the wicket” rather than search for yorkers. O’Rourke admits he over-pitched in game two. “Personally, in the last game, I bowled too full to give their boys an opportunity to hit through the line. I think our plan has been to whack the wicket as hard as we can, so hopefully there’s a bit of variability in the wicket.”
Former New Zealand quick Shane Bond, now around as a consultant, likes what he sees. “They’re raw but talented,” Bond told local radio. “If they hit that back-of-a-length they’ll be fine.”
Bangladesh, mind, are rarely generous at home. Taijul Islam spun through the visitors last time and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto wants more of the same. “We know our conditions,” he said after levelling the series. “If we keep it simple we’re tough to beat.”
New Zealand’s batting has leaned on Will Young at the top and Tom Blundell in the middle. A powerplay wobble on Saturday left them short of par, something assistant coach Luke Woodcock wants fixed. “Taking early options is OK, but we also need someone to bat 40 overs,” he noted.
There is still a feel-good undercurrent in the Kiwi camp. With World Cup qualification already banked, experience for the next tier matters almost as much as the result, though O’Rourke insists they are not treating it like a development tour. “The boys will be up for it. They’ll prepare well today and we’ll come out tomorrow definitely wanting to put our best foot forward and win the series.”
A victory, against a near-full-strength Bangladesh line-up in their own backyard, would be a tidy statement for a side missing Kane Williamson, Trent Boult and several other senior heads. Even a narrow defeat would tell selectors something useful. Either way, the young group have shown they belong, and tomorrow offers one more chance to underline it.
