Focusing on Amir's bowling, not debate on return: NZ bowling coach
Dimitri Mascarenhas says the Kiwis are not interested in a debate about left-armer's return to international cricket
PHOTO COURTESY: MUHAMMAD AMIR/ FACEBOOK.
New Zealand bowling coach Dimitri Mascarenhas has said his team is planning to focus on Pakistan left-arm pacer Muhammad Amir’s bowling rather than getting involved in a debate about his return to international cricket.
"We leave the decisions up to the administrators," said Mascarenhas. "We know that Amir is a very good bowler and he's another guy we're going to have to deal with. It's pretty much as simple as that for us."
Amir cleared to tour New Zealand after visa granted
New Zealand host Pakistan in the opener of the three-match series at Eden Park on Friday, followed by matches in Hamilton and Wellington and Amir will be making his first appearance in the international cricket scene after serving a five-year spot-fixing ban.
But it has not been an easy journey back into action for Amir. Pakistan ODI captain Azhar Ali threatened to quit over Amir’s inclusion in the team but with the Pakistan Cricket Board’s intervention, things settled down.
The 23-year-old also faced a visa hurdle, as he had served three months in jail after being convicted of spot-fixing. He eventually received permission to enter New Zealand however, and arrived there on January 11.
Chief selector labels 'extraordinary' Amir better than the others
"He's done his time and been cleared to play," said Mascarenhas. "So we'll just get on with it and play against him."
New Zealand just came back after scoring a 2-0 victory over Sri Lanka and Mascarenhas thinks the Kiwis will have to retune their approach to face Pakistani left-arm pace duo of Amir and Wahab Riaz
"They'll have a lot of left-arm bowlers so that will be a different challenge," he said. "Sri Lanka played one left-armer on Sunday, but other than that they had all right-armers. Pakistan will have a few guys who are a little bit faster as well, which will be a different challenge for our batters."
Spot-Fixing: ‘Amir shouldn’t be included in squad’
The Kiwis will be without the services of their front-line right-arm paceman Tim Southee but the bowling coach believes all-rounder Grant Elliot will be able to fill in.
"If Grant gets it right, he's got all the variations," said Mascarenhas. "He's not very fast, but he can bowl at the death as we saw. He just needs to adapt. He's been around for a long time, and he knows his role. He probably should have got the man of the match award in the second match.
"You don't want Grant Elliott bowling the last over of the innings, but if he's called upon to do that, hopefully he can do it."
NZ all-rounder Astle called up for Pakistan T20 series
Legspinning all-rounder Todd Astle is in line for a limited overs debut after being named in New Zealand's 13-man squad for a World Twenty20 warmup series against Pakistan.
McCullum backs Amir's return to Pakistan squad
Astle, who played one test for New Zealand three years ago, replaces legspinner Ish Sodhi from the squad that swept Sri Lanka in their two-match series.
The 29-year-old earns his spot after some solid all-round performances for Canterbury in New Zealand's domestic 50-over competition but both he and Sodhi may still be retained for the World T20 in India, with coach Mike Hesson keen to take three spinners to the subcontinent.
New Zealand seal series win over Sri Lanka
"With the spin-friendly conditions we're likely to play in during the ICC World Twenty20 in India, it's important we have all of our bases covered and Todd is certainly an option for us," Hesson said in a statement.
"He'll get an opportunity to play at some point against Pakistan, in what will be a tough series."
Left-arm spinning all-rounder Mitch Santner is the other slow bowler in the Kane Williamson-captained squad.
Tom Latham has been added to the squad for the first match to replace resting batsman Ross Taylor, who will return for the second and third games, the only other change from the Sri Lanka series.
New Zealand squad
Kane Williamson (capt), Corey Anderson, Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Grant Elliott, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham (first game only), Mitchell McClenaghan, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Luke Ronchi, Mitchell Santner, Ross Taylor (second and third games)
Dimitri Mascarenhas was quoted by ESPNcricinfo
"We leave the decisions up to the administrators," said Mascarenhas. "We know that Amir is a very good bowler and he's another guy we're going to have to deal with. It's pretty much as simple as that for us."
Amir cleared to tour New Zealand after visa granted
New Zealand host Pakistan in the opener of the three-match series at Eden Park on Friday, followed by matches in Hamilton and Wellington and Amir will be making his first appearance in the international cricket scene after serving a five-year spot-fixing ban.
But it has not been an easy journey back into action for Amir. Pakistan ODI captain Azhar Ali threatened to quit over Amir’s inclusion in the team but with the Pakistan Cricket Board’s intervention, things settled down.
The 23-year-old also faced a visa hurdle, as he had served three months in jail after being convicted of spot-fixing. He eventually received permission to enter New Zealand however, and arrived there on January 11.
Chief selector labels 'extraordinary' Amir better than the others
"He's done his time and been cleared to play," said Mascarenhas. "So we'll just get on with it and play against him."
New Zealand just came back after scoring a 2-0 victory over Sri Lanka and Mascarenhas thinks the Kiwis will have to retune their approach to face Pakistani left-arm pace duo of Amir and Wahab Riaz
"They'll have a lot of left-arm bowlers so that will be a different challenge," he said. "Sri Lanka played one left-armer on Sunday, but other than that they had all right-armers. Pakistan will have a few guys who are a little bit faster as well, which will be a different challenge for our batters."
Spot-Fixing: ‘Amir shouldn’t be included in squad’
The Kiwis will be without the services of their front-line right-arm paceman Tim Southee but the bowling coach believes all-rounder Grant Elliot will be able to fill in.
"If Grant gets it right, he's got all the variations," said Mascarenhas. "He's not very fast, but he can bowl at the death as we saw. He just needs to adapt. He's been around for a long time, and he knows his role. He probably should have got the man of the match award in the second match.
"You don't want Grant Elliott bowling the last over of the innings, but if he's called upon to do that, hopefully he can do it."
NZ all-rounder Astle called up for Pakistan T20 series
Legspinning all-rounder Todd Astle is in line for a limited overs debut after being named in New Zealand's 13-man squad for a World Twenty20 warmup series against Pakistan.
McCullum backs Amir's return to Pakistan squad
Astle, who played one test for New Zealand three years ago, replaces legspinner Ish Sodhi from the squad that swept Sri Lanka in their two-match series.
The 29-year-old earns his spot after some solid all-round performances for Canterbury in New Zealand's domestic 50-over competition but both he and Sodhi may still be retained for the World T20 in India, with coach Mike Hesson keen to take three spinners to the subcontinent.
New Zealand seal series win over Sri Lanka
"With the spin-friendly conditions we're likely to play in during the ICC World Twenty20 in India, it's important we have all of our bases covered and Todd is certainly an option for us," Hesson said in a statement.
"He'll get an opportunity to play at some point against Pakistan, in what will be a tough series."
Left-arm spinning all-rounder Mitch Santner is the other slow bowler in the Kane Williamson-captained squad.
Tom Latham has been added to the squad for the first match to replace resting batsman Ross Taylor, who will return for the second and third games, the only other change from the Sri Lanka series.
New Zealand squad
Kane Williamson (capt), Corey Anderson, Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Grant Elliott, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham (first game only), Mitchell McClenaghan, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Luke Ronchi, Mitchell Santner, Ross Taylor (second and third games)
Dimitri Mascarenhas was quoted by ESPNcricinfo