Ben Sears forcing himself into the Black Caps’ T20 World Cup mix
Sunday, 25 February 2024
Third T20 international:** Black Caps v Australia; Where: Eden Park, Auckland; When: Sunday, 1pm; Coverage: Live on TVNZ 1, TVNZ+; live updates on Stuff**
Ben Sears says he hasn’t thought about whether there might be a place for him in the Black Caps’ squad for June’s Twenty20 World Cup
But with performances like his one in the second of three internationals against Australia at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday, he’s certainly giving coach Gary Stead a few things to consider.
Sears took 2-29 from his four overs, claiming the wickets of Travis Head and Glenn Maxwell in a performance that was one of the few highlights as the Black Caps crashed to a 72-run defeat.
That result meant Australia took an unassailable 2-0 lead heading into Sunday’s third and final match at the same venue, where Sears is likely to get another chance to press his claim for a coveted spot in four months’ time.
His efforts in the first match at Eden Park followed a return of 2-28 in the second T20 against Pakistan in Hamilton in January, so he’s certainly putting his best foot forward.
The Black Caps’ seam stocks are strong, with Lockie Ferguson taking 4-12 on Friday and looking in career-best form and Adam Milne, Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Matt Henry all in the mix as well.
Ferguson, Milne and Sears combined on Friday to form the fastest Black Caps seam attack ever witnessed, leading Stead to joke that he “couldn’t see the ball, it as going so quick”.
“It was great. You’ve got a couple of experienced guys in Lockie and Adam and then a young guy in Ben that’s coming through that is equally as exciting in the way that he’s progressing in the international game.
“I’m sure that he will continue to go from strength to strength.”
Sears once opened the batting in high school cricket with Rachin Ravindra, the other Black Cap to have put his hand up for a place in the first-choice T20 XI in this series, thanks to his 68 off 35 in the series opener in Wellington.
Stead said it was good that “everyone that’s playing for us at the moment” was “asking those questions”.
“That’s a good place to be. It's always nice to have healthy internal competition and as long as we continue to have that and have an element of depth, then I think that's healthy for us when we go to world tournaments.”
For his part, Sears said it was exciting to line up alongside Milne, his team-mate at the Wellington Firebirds, and Ferguson, who had only played 11 matches together themselves prior to Friday.
“Those two are probably New Zealand's fastest bowlers ever,” Sears said, when asked who was fastest out of the trio.
“Milnie’s in Wellington, and it's just awesome to watch him play and it’s awesome to watch Lockie play as well. It’s amazing to be out there and just be involved with them.”
One of the great disappointments for New Zealand cricket fans over the past decade is that Adam Milne has never been able to play a test match, while Lockie Ferguson has played just one.
While their days of aiming for red-ball honours are over, Stead said he could see Sears being part of the Black Caps’ test setup in time.
“At the moment his exposure has been in the in the two white-ball games, but Ben has showed an element of his resilience through the Plunket Shield as well.
“We'd like to like to hope that he continues to show that and could be a test player in the future.”
For now, Sears is just focused on the task at hand. After Sunday, he is likely to be part of the five-match tour of Pakistan that is on the cards in April, where he will continue to try to make an impact.
“You just go out there and try and execute your ball and see wherever that goes,” he said of pushing for a World Cup place. “It's Twenty20 cricket – anything can happen.”