Analysing the strengths, weaknesses and advantages of New Zealand as they get ready to plat a World Cup at home. This does give them an edge but however sharp a knife may be, until and unless you use it right, you won’t be reaping the benefits by making the right cut.
The home advantage is much talked about when it comes to any series – trilateral, bilateral or even a full fledged tournament like the World Cup. Some stats support this theory, such as the win percentage of teams in their own country against touring opposition – something that the Australian Women’s team made a joke of while touring countries during their record breaking streak of ODI match wins which officially stands at 26. New Zealand are the home favourites, they are the one who should be having this home advantage, and even the last time a New Zealand side won a Women’s Cricket World Cup was at home in 2000, which made them the only country other than England or Australia to lay their hands on the title. So, how is the home advantage for them? What could they benefit? And can they capitalise again?
THE HOME CONDITIONS
Before going into the other aspects, a look at the main aspect is crucial. Home conditions in some countries isn’t as crucial or rather in some formats such as the 20 over format but in ODI’s, it is just a bit less crucial than in Test Matches. In New Zealand, there will be two trends – batting pitches, and pacer friendly pitches. There should be a balance but several matches, as can be seen from the warm – up games as well will fall extremely into one of these categories. Both of which, combined with characteristically short boundary sizes and fairly open grounds means that, New Zealand is a place that needs a lot of reading, and practice.
Firstly, the conditions. New Zealand players have not only played here since the start of their careers but have played in New Zealand for a straight few months since returning from their England tour. They have had practice of about 4 months atleast in the New Zealand conditions across the country, playing different formats. They have a hold on the swinging, seaming and fast paced conditions of the place, something to which only England come close, but not as much. New Zealand have that experience, and know each and every ground better than the rest of the teams.
They have suited themselves to the short boundaries and fairly fast grounds. Now, it may seem simple, that since everyone will play on shorter boundaries, everyone will be hitting more boundaries and be on the same pace but evidently, the white ferns have suited their playing style and know exactly the tricks of how and when to accelerate, especially the bowlers know what control and placement they need to abide in order to work with these small boundaries. The areas to target with certain field placements and how to use spin as well. But even they aren’t perfect. The batting may seem simple but it is the White Ferns who have the idea about how exactly they need to play, how they need to run being very important, how much surety there is of a six being successful as they have been playing in those conditions, and have the confidence and idea to work with small boundaries more than the visiting sides who slowly understand the fine and minute working of small boundaries and fast outfields. The White Ferns fielders know how much to commit and how to deal with these outfields.
They have solved it previously, and hence, have more practice with these puzzles, and its importance is also why the Indian side decided to tour New Zealand just before the World Cup and are the only other side to have some proper official match practice in these conditions in 2022.
HOW DO THEY WORK IN THESE CONDITIONS?
For the batting conditions, the side has formed a top – order that is based on the style of long – destructive innings. Satherwaitte is their role-player of experience now playing out, In Amelia Kerr, they have an all – rounder gem and the opening partnership having Devine just fits in well for them. Devine is so experienced that she, alongwith Satherwaitte forms a duo that can help guide the team through various different conditions and circumstances. After these 4, the line – up starts to get a bit weak but the likes of Tahuhu add that power – hitting flair on these grounds that will play into their hands at some crucial points. There approach while batting works well on these grounds but also puts them in a bit of a bother at times, if the lengths on the pitch are exploited well by the opposition bowlers, especially the spinners.
In the bowling department, they have gotten Tahuhu to lead it with her pace and the likes of Jess Kerr have the movement and strategic planning when working with their captain. Their spin department doesn’t boast as many names or reinforcements but Amelia Kerr’s natural and worked on hand movement producing googlies, as well as the element of a new spinner being presented in the form of Jonas does provide them enough for the general conditions until and unless the pace bowlers really get hit out of the park, and the conditions are not desirable as the tournament continues. When the spinners’ angles might just save a few runs and get those looking to hit sixes out. But they do have some concern in both departments.
The fielding department copes well with these grounds and has the agility, control and attentiveness to deal, edging out certain important challenging teams.
THE OTHER HOMELY FACTORS
In the present circumstances of Quarantine, Bio – Bubbles and more, staying in your own country does have benefits for the players as they are closer to home. They have not had to go through as hard quarantine and have not been tied away in bubbles away from home, like some teams have kind of had. The audience isn’t as crucial a factor but being in your own nation in these times is. Plus they are the only one that do not have to rely on travelling reserves. Although, there may be some bubble quarantine complications, they do not have to fly in players and have international travel quarantine issues, something that has trumped may and most importantly, South Africa’s crucial opener Lizelle Lee, who will now be unavailable for their first match due to extended quarantine.
There is then the small psychological factor or rather boost of playing at home. A motivation to win in front of the home crowd, on home – soil, in what would hopefully be a packed stadium for the Final.
SO, ADVANTAGE FOR THE WIN?
Now, as can be seen, there are several advantages for New Zealand as they are playing at home, not only conditions related but also present circumstances related. This does give them an edge but however sharp a knife may be, until and unless you use it right, you won’t be reaping the benefits by making the right cut. The inherent issues that lie are the dependency of the side on their top order, and the fact that they have a higher chance of getting caught out in the bowling department than some others. With batter Lauren Down also unavailable after an injury, they miss a player who was their first – choice in a squad, that already had a surprising selection (for many) in the bowling department.
New Zealand should breeze past the likes of Pakistan, Bangladesh and West Indies but with South Africa facing them with Lizelle Lee also available by then, and the wealth of talent and variation they carry, as well as the Indian side having learnt a lot about them from their tour that concluded mere days before the warm – up matches started, these two might just edge out New Zealand, handing them two losses that could quite certainly possibly be campaign ending. If they are looking to repeat what happened in 2000, or what the English side did in 2017, then they need a bit of happy happy good luck every time filling in.
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