The Black Caps celebrate a win over Pakistan. Photo / Photosport
The Black Caps celebrate a win over Pakistan. Photo / Photosport
OPINION:
When it comes to all things Australian cricket we love a cold serving of schadenfreude, but on this occasion, we should look closer to home for reasons why New Zealand are headed to the World Test Championship final.
The idea of Australia potentially missing out because Tim Paine spenttoo long dithering over field placements while trying to meet the exacting standards of martinet-like coach Justin Langer is a delicious morsel, but the real meat of this campaign was served up at home.
The Black Caps made this final because they have turned themselves into a home-field juggernaut the likes of which this country has never seen, not even in the "glory" days of the 80s. New Zealand aren't just hard to beat at home; they're hard to resist.
Of the six tests they played at home since qualifying for the WTC started, they won all six.
So rather than focus on Paine's pain, consider the following as the key steps to the final.
1. Mitchell Santner's intervention
It is not being overly harsh to suggest that Santner is not destined for one of the great test careers. He is an excellent white-ball cricketer occasionally shoehorned into a red-ball side.
For one glorious moment in Mt Maunganui, however, he was king.
Until the 124th over of Pakistan's second innings, it had been a frustrating test for Santner. He'd scored 19 and six not out with the bat, and had just one wicket across 25 overs. His biggest contribution had come via a spectacular run out of Mohammad Rizwan in the first innings.
Mitchell Santner. Photo / Photosport
Pakistan's last pair had survived 47 balls with aplomb and were just 28 balls from safety when Santner induced a false shot then leapt like a spawning salmon to catch Naseem Shah.
Bedlam ensued.
2. Kyle Jamieson's cameo
New Zealand were leading the two-test series against number one team in the world India when they went to Hagley Oval and found themselves deep in the mire at 153-7 chasing India's first innings 242.
Jamieson, in his first series, strode to the crease, stroked a calm 49 in difficult conditions and got his team within seven runs of India's total.
When New Zealand rolled India again, they chased down the target with ease.
3. Colombo stunner
Probably the most overlooked key to the campaign. New Zealand won the second test at Colombo after losing the first badly in Galle.
They did it in astonishing circumstances with a number of telling individual contributions.
The first thing to acknowledge was it rained in monsoon quantities.
After two days only 66 overs had been bowled and Sri Lanka were 144-6. For New Zealand to fashion a victory from there – particularly given only 48 overs were possible on day four – is one of the great unsung results in their history.
It started with the old firm of Trent Boult and Tim Southee ripping the guts out of Sri Lanka's first innings batting. It continued with a big century (154) to Tom Latham, a smaller century for BJ Watling (105 not out), and a blazing 83, including five sixes, from Colin de Grandhomme. It ended with the entire attack, including unlikely spin twins Ajaz Patel (2-31) and Will Somerville (2-49), ripping through Sri Lanka in 70 overs to win as dark clouds loomed over P Sara Oval.
Kane Williamson. Photo / Photosport
There were other factors worth mentioning. Kane Williamson's ability to score heavily on green tops; Jamieson's emergence as a strike weapon; Neil Wagner's Phar-Lapian heart.
It would also be remiss not to mention the quirks in the system. There are certain teams they don't match up well against: most notably Australia and South Africa, who are neither intimidated by New Zealand's conditions nor their bowling attack.
In this cycle, the Black Caps avoided South Africa. (Though that is balanced by the fact they had a series cancelled against Bangladesh, who they have never lost a test to, and didn't get any points for the 2019-2020 series win against England because it fell outside the tours programme.)
In the end, dissect it any way you want.
The fact is New Zealand is travelling to England to play the final in June.
