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Black Caps take silver linings from injuries to Williamson, Taylor for ODI series

March 18, 2021

Coach Gary Stead and bowler Trent Boult said the injuries allow others to put their hands up and deliver with the veteran batsmen out.

When the Black Caps take the field on Saturday for their first ODI against Bangladesh, they'll do so with approximately one-third of their run scoring weaponry from the last five years missing.

That's the drastic statistic generated by injuries to captain Kane Williamson and veteran batsman Ross Taylor who will both miss the first match in Dunedin.

Williamson will miss the entire series with an elbow issue however selectors hope to see Taylor return for the second match from a hamstring niggle.

In the meantime though, it means other Kiwi cricketers will need to step up and fill the void the pair have left behind - a prospect Black Caps coach Gary Stead and bowler Trent Boult are both excited to see.

"It's tough when you look at Kane and Ross and you think about the experience that those guys have for us over a long, long period of time," Stead said.

"But the opportunity for Devon [Conway] and Will [Young] to come in those positions as well is really exciting for them and they're both fine players.

"We're really looking forward to the opportunity that those guys get."

Stead emphasised the pair of debutants won't be expected to replace or recreate what Williamson and Taylor have done at three and four in the Black Caps' line-up but will instead be encouraged to play their own game if selected.

"They're two positions in the order that we have a lot of faith in," Stead said.

"For Devon and Will, they've waited for their chance to get this turn and I know they'll put their best foot forward."

Both Conway and Young have built impressive List A resumes recently heading into the series with Conway notching eight tons in 81 matches, with an average a touch under 45 and a strike rate of 85.

Young averages 36.8 in 61 List A matches with five centuries and the same impressive strike rate.

Boult told 1 NEWS he was excited to see what the pair can do.

"There's some guys that have been putting their hands up at different points in the summer."

The fast bowler added he'll also remind them not to feel pressure to fill the missing third in the team's offence, although his approach will be a little more cheeky than his coach's.

"I don't really mind who scores the runs as long as it's not me."

The Black Caps' three-ODI series starts at 11am on Saturday in Dunedin before it moves to Christchurch next Tuesday for a 2pm match and concludes next Friday in Wellington at 11am.

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