Skipper’s retirement means selectors must reassess who will take over at No 5
The boss is soon to depart and there's a vacancy to be filled.
So when Brendon McCullum hangs up his bat for the last time in Christchurch next month, who takes his place at No 5 in New Zealand's test batting order?
For so long, New Zealand's No 3, 4 and 5 combination has had a familiar and invariably reassuring look about it - Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and McCullum, who all go about their batting in distinctly different ways.
The selectors, coach Mike Hesson and Gavin Larsen, have time. The next test assignment is in Zimbabwe and South Africa in August. Their options are varied.
First, they could opt simply to pick a batsman for that specific position.
Or Hesson and Larsen could plump for a batsmen who scores heavily in the top four at provincial level and look to turn him into a No 5.
A third option might be, if they feel he's up to it, pushing Mitchell Santner up to No 5 and then looking for a No 6, ahead of wicketkeeper Watling at No 7.
Injury-hit allrounders Corey Anderson and Jimmy Neesham should come into the discussion, once fully fit. But that's a way off yet.
The player the selectors want will need to be an all-sorts batsman; that is, able to cope with the second new ball, a good player of spin, someone who can work with the lower order, who can stop the rot if the higher-ups have taken a slide, and press home any advantage won by the earlier batsmen. Simple really.
And yet it's not a specialist role in the sense of an opener. No 3 should be the team's most resourceful player; No 4 is often the best batsman, although right now, that honour for New Zealand also sits with the No 3.
Ideally, the selectors will want a player who has been scoring heavily for a couple of seasons, as opposed to having a single summer of success, and players will know they must grab a bagful of runs in the Plunket Shield when it resumes in February.
Timing is crucial. Strike at the right time and your name gets put up in discussions.
"It's an exciting time for players around the middle order who are able to perform consistently," Hesson said. "Henry [Nicholls] is one, Dean Brownlie has shown he's very capable throughout the order, and Luke Ronchi is performing exceptionally well and has done well for us when given an opportunity.
"There's a number of other middle order players who, if they absolutely shoot the lights out come the back end of the Plunket Shield, are going to ask us some good questions."
It is a question not asked in a while. New Zealand's 3-4-5 trio has been locked in for the past three seasons.
Now there's change coming, "and that's exciting, rather than thinking 'crikey, where are we going to find someone'".
"The opportunity is one which could be presented to a number of different options," Hesson said.
The No 5 contenders
Henry Nicholls
Canterbury The 24-year-old Canterbury left-hander has been in the selectors' thoughts a while. A New Zealand Young Player to Lord's in 2012, Nicholls timed his run well, with a couple of strong centuries for New Zealand A against Sri Lanka A at the start of this season, 144 not out and 137. His first-class average is 38.54, with four hundreds in 35 games. A strong performance in the limited-overs programme, albeit in a different format, against Sri Lanka and Pakistan will help his case.
Entertaining right-hander who has had chances. Was New Zealand's best batsman in Australia in 2011 and scored a fine century against South Africa at Cape Town early in 2013. Became the seventh New Zealander to hit 300 in a first-class game, for Northern Districts against Central Districts last season. Now 31, he's had a tendency to get out when seemingly well set. Averages 29.62 in 14 tests, the last in mid-2013. Averages 42.88 in first-class cricket with 11 hundreds.
Colin Munro
Colin Munro. Photo / Photosport
Auckland
Just one test, at Port Elizabeth in 2013, and was out cheaply twice. A far better batsman now. Has had 30 limited-overs internationals. A bruising, clean hitter of the ball who has made two big double centuries in the past three summers - 269 not out against Wellington in 2013 and 281 off just 167 balls with 23 sixes against CD at Napier early this year. The 28-year-old scores his runs fast and can batter domestic attacks. Averages 48.2 in 40 first-class games with nine centuries.
Will Young
Will Young. Photo / Photosport
Central Districts
Highly rated right-hander who averages 40.46 from 32 first-class games. Has just two first class centuries so far but the 23-year-old is making rapid strides. Got runs against Sri Lanka A recently and is leading Central Districts in the Ford Trophy starting tomorrow.
Can he cut it as a specialist middle order batsman? That's the only relevant question. He hit 88 and 31 in his only test, at Leeds this year at No 7, when BJ Watling played as a specialist batsman. Ronchi averages 39.36 in first-class cricket, with 15 centuries. Scored 116 against Otago last week. The 34-year-old has vast experience and skill. Scores fast naturally.
