Matt Henry hits back as batters battle

By Kris Shannon

Matt Henry now leads New Zealand in wickets taken and runs scored in the test series against Australia.

One statistic should bring a smile, the other a wince. But for Henry, the undisputed leader of the hosts’ attack and unexpected bane of the tourists’, there was no fluctuation in emotion after the second day of the second test.

His steady disposition would have been aided by again scything through the Australian top order, picking up three wickets to restrict the opposition to 124-4 at stumps. It certainly lifted the crowd’s mood after Josh Hazlewood had been even more destructive in dismissing the Black Caps for 162.

And asked more frequently to reflect on those earlier failures than his own success, Henry remained steadfast in support of his side’s struggling batters.

“It’s not a concern,” Henry said. “Looking at our batting lineup, we’ve got world-class players there. They’ve been fantastic for a number of years and there’s no part where I have any doubt that they’ll be great and they’ll be fine moving forward.

“It’s day one of a test match. The ball’s allowed to move around and guys are allowed to bowl well. That’s what happens when you come across world-class performers — they have their day sometimes.

“The key is just trusting our batters — they’ve been fantastic for a long time now and that trust hasn’t gone. They’ll be absolutely fine.”

That’s surely true for the majority, batters whose pedigree will outlast the visit of Australia’s overwhelming attack. But that long-term outlook counts for little when one good innings is necessary to save the series.

In three innings so far, New Zealand average 179. Only two players — Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra — have made half-centuries, while Henry’s 85 runs from 77 balls puts him top of the charts.

A deficiency has been exposed, more mental than technical, and as incisively as Hazlewood bowled while claiming 4-7 in one six-over span, a quick solution is required.

“That’s the thing about Hagley — on day one, there’s always a bit of assistance if you put the ball in the right area,” Henry said. “But you can also bat; it is a good cricket wicket.

“You just saw a world-class performer like Josh Hazlewood go about his work when there was some assistance. He exploited that beautifully. But there will definitely be runs to be had.”

Hazlewood’s accuracy and patience was a blueprint for the Black Caps bowlers, and Henry enacted that plan while taking his wicket tally to a series-leading 11.

But the veteran first needed the intervention of debutant Ben Sears, the 26-year-old snaring a memorable first test scalp when Steve Smith was sufficiently deceived to pad up on a delivery that would have clipped off stump.

“It doesn’t get much better than that for a first wicket,” Henry said. “He showed so much control and excitement and he got the ball rolling for us. We were bowling well but not much was happening and he was able to get that first breakthrough and we could build some momentum from there.

“Australia are a world-class batting lineup so you have to be good for a long period of time to take wickets. We managed to get four of them but it will be a big first hour.”

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission