Tuesday, December 29, 2020

Why are NZ fans not up in arms about Mitchell Santner's test selection?

Where have I seen this scene before? NZ need their spinner to spin them to victory on a pitch that is dead for the seamers, but is offering a little assistance to spinners. Santner once again fails to do the job. Somehow he is again avoiding scrutiny.

There must be something else going on here. How does he get selected? He has no first class performances to justify his inclusion in the team. In his last first class match, back in March, he made a pair and bowled poorly. He skipped the first round of FC matches this season to play IPL. That should have excluded him from test selection. He has never performed in test cricket. There have been a number of good opportunities for him to pick up bulk wickets too.

He doesn't pass the eye test either. If you actually watch him bowl, there is zero flight. The trajectory of his bowling is bad. Maybe he could get away with it at club cricket, but honestly I can't think of a slow bowler in world cricket with a worse trajectory. He can't land two balls in the same place in a row, and drags down one ball per over. He can't hold down an end by bowling economically. Like seriously, come on. This is test cricket, not a place to learn your trade.

The only thing I can think of is nepotism. There is no other way he could be included in the test team. For all the good work the selectors have done since 2012, they should hang their head in shame at this situation. I bet other spinners around the country are filthy that Santner continues to get an incredibly long leash while they can't even get a game. ANY spinner in New Zealand would do a better job. Even Mark Craig was a better bowler.

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