Black Caps bowler Doug Bracewell. Photo / Photosport
In the span of 50 overs against India today, New Zealand's bowlers ran the gamut of emotions.
In India's innings of 324-4 in the second ODI at Bay Oval, the Black Caps bowling unit was unlucky, outclassed, hopeful, and then dejected, in a performance that was, ultimately, inadequate.
And that's a concern, with the ODI World Cup now just six games away, and the Black Caps bowlers yet to hit their stride.
While they had plenty of runs to play with against Sri Lanka, opposition totals of 326, 298 and 249 weren't completely reassuring, and India followed up their cruise to victory in the first ODI with a largely untroubled effort with the bat yesterday.
An opening partnership of 154 between Rohit Sharma (87) and Shikhar Dhawan (66) had India set up for a massive score at the Mount Maunganui ground, and at 172-1 after 29 overs, and 207-2 after 35, a total of at least 350 looked odds-on.
However, some strangely passive batting from Ambati Rayudu (47 from 49 balls), and for a time, MS Dhoni, saw 25 balls go by without a boundary. Yes, New Zealand's bowling was much improved during that time, but India's lack of aggression with a horde of wickets available to use was strange, and only 35 runs from the last two overs got them to an eventually strong total.
India captain Virat Kohli made 43, and explained that his wicket hindered India's plans.
"I made a conscious effort after the second drinks break that I was going to go hard between 34 and 40 overs and get those runs on the board so we could get to 340-350 maybe, so when I got out the new batsmen has to take a bit of time. But I thought we were quite clinical with the way we went about putting a total on the board."
Even though Ish Sodhi (0-43) led a mini-fightback by slamming on the brakes in those late overs, India were rarely threatened, and the Black Caps could be perceived to have a lack of wicket-taking threats against top quality opposition.
While Trent Boult (2-61) and Lockie Ferguson (2-81) have those qualities, and Sodhi is a strong contributor, there has been little else offered from the fourth frontline bowling position this summer. Tim Southee hasn't been at his best in ODI cricket for years now, Matt Henry hasn't had many opportunities, and although Doug Bracewell shone with the bat, his 0-59 was more solid than stellar.
Additionally, Colin de Grandhomme – who got smoked for 62 runs in eight disastrous overs – now averages 54.8 with the ball in ODI cricket, and at best could only be seen as an option to restrict batsmen, rather than dismiss them.
However, perhaps it all could have been different. Boult drew two edges from Sharma in the first over - one flying through a vacant first slip, the other falling short of second – and Bracewell and Ferguson drew inside edges from Dhawan which just flew by the stumps.
Maybe that would have changed things, but the next 20 overs went by without barely a chance, and the ease with how each Indian batsman totted along at a run-a-ball would have been dispiriting for the hosts.
Black Caps captain Kane Williamson had a rosier outlook, preferring to focus on the positives of having pegged India back.
"I thought with the ball in hand there were some really good signs, even though we never gained control, we were able to pull it back to still a large total, but a total that on this ground you can chase down if you bat well. But it wasn't to be."
And as the World Cup looms, more is required from the bowling unit if the Black Caps are truly going to contend with the best.