AUS vs NZ | MCG Day 4 Talking Points - James Pattinson’s time under the sun and the Blundell conundrum

12/29/2019

Australia lived up to the billing and thrashed New Zealand with a kind of dominant display they have exerted in many Boxing Day matches before. James Pattinson's ferocious spell today was the highlight of the day with Tom Blundell pacing his innings like a pro to give the Kiwis hope for future.

Thank the stars for James Pattinson

Six years ago, in Trent Bridge, James Pattinson bowled the first ball of the 2013 Ashes and was an instant hit - both with the bat and ball. However, a body that was never meant for putting in the shift suffered the wrath of playing back-to-back Tests which was further compounded by a batting collapse in the first innings at Lord's that had Pattinson bowling again within hours. The strain was so difficult to handle that it led to a tear and pushed him away from Ashes cricket for the next three whole series. Before the world could see his full potential, the Victorian had to face the cruel wrath of fate.

His return in 2019 was promising with a regular burst of performances that would tangle your spine. However, in his first Test at home, that too in Melbourne, Pattinson showcased a kind of maturity that just rattled New Zealand. He has pace, he has the ability to bounce out the opposition and all he needed was to execute them perfectly. And how brilliantly did he do that today - a ferocious spell of fast bowling that doesn’t happen every day. The ball skidded off the surface, hit the crack and Pattinson made world-class batsmen like Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson dance to his tunes.

It was an anomaly too. On a pitch there had already been a bouncer war, with length bowlers like Tim Southee and Trent Boult rendering unsuccessful, Pattinson could generate the seam movement just as much as he wanted. Be it the dismissal of Tom Latham where he forced the batsman into driving at a wide delivery or nipping the ball back to catch Williamson on the crease, it was a classic case of holding the seam and making your own control talk. It was as good as it could get as Pattison finally had his day to shine.

The myth of Kane Williamson’s success in Australia

The last time Australia played New Zealand at home, it was Kane Williamson who dominated it with some year-defining knocks. Australia won the series of course, but it was the frictionless genius of Williamson that came to the fore. Knocks of 140, 59, and 166 were so good that every shot he played during those marathon innings not only gathered a sense of invincibility but also provided hope for the future, which, in simpler terms, are for this series.

However, his returns in the series so far have been all but disappointing. In fact, it has always been disappointing in either side of those three innings - with his highest score being 34 in the other 11 innings. It just doesn’t seem alright. Does it? As he showed in that Brisbane innings four years ago - something the host broadcaster was kind enough to show as a highlight today - Williamson had a front foot stride that is reminiscent of the great Steve Waugh and he was so effortless that he didn’t have to use a lot of power to clear those boundaries.

As Brendon McCullum put it yesterday, it was probably the burden of captaincy that got the better of Williamson. It was probably right in a way but then again, one wouldn’t have expected the Kiwi skipper to crumble in the way he did this series. Taking nothing away from him, Williamson is one of the few batsmen in the world who actually play well in all conditions but in this series, when everyone else around him failed, he should have taken the responsibility on his shoulder. Of all teams, New Zealand can’t afford to see two of the best batsmen performing the way they have just done.

Instead of taking it for granted, Can New Zealand groom Blundell properly now

Tom Blundell’s selection created a lot of furore, and even I had criticised it for the short-sightedness in the selection, which was apparent after Jeet Raval’s drop. It was a decision taken in panic as New Zealand promoted Tom Blundell to open the innings alongside Tom Latham. It might not have reaped rewards in the first innings but Blundell’s performance in the second innings is worthy of a round of applause. But the ball now lies in the management’s court.

Getting the truism out of the way, think this Blundell innings will be the foundation of a settled opening partnership will be utterly foolish. Before Raval, New Zealand tried the likes of Peter Fulton, Hamish Rutherford, Martin Guptill, and Daniel Flynn as openers, but none could sustain the rigours of it after initial shows of promise. It needed a permanent solution and not stop-gap arrangements. Blundell might have shown some promise with a solid and stoic century but that has not made the decision any easier.

At 29, Blundell is not getting any younger but he has a good five to six years of cricket left in him. It might have been a decision taken in panic to ask him to open at the MCG, but it would take a sufficient amount of practice and grooming to make him a solid prospect. New Zealand’s past history with openers has been a tainted one, with the team struggling to cope with the rigours of opening in Test cricket. If the team do go ahead with him in the India series, they should use that as an opportunity to form a pair who can serve them for the next few years, not for one or two series.