BLACKCAPS allrounder Jimmy Neesham wants to see the BLACKCAPS find a touch more from tonight's second ODI. Livestream link: bit.ly/SAvNZStream
The opening One-Day International between the BLACKCAPS and the Proteas saw 588 runs scored, Neesham contributing a solid 41 of them at a healthy run-a-ball clip. His 71-run stand with Colin Munro for the sixth-wicket partnership was the third best of the match from either side, and he relished the chance to bat for a good 10 overs.
Personally, it was another strong and promising step forward on his way back from a significant back injury. But the experience would ultimately be tinged with frustration after the team went down by just 20 runs at the death, despite the valiant chase.
“We’ll be looking to bounce back,” says the number six without hesitation ahead of today’s crucial rematch at Potchefstroom’s Senwes Park.
“We travelled up to ‘Potch' on the bus the other day and have had a good long training. We’ve shown before that we can quickly make those little improvements from our last game. I think the lads are keeping their feet on the ground and just looking forward to getting out there again and having a chance to rectify that first game.”
Potchefstroom is familiar territory for the BLACKCAPS touring party: it’s where they went into camp at the start of the African tour, ahead of the Zimbabwe leg. But for Neesham, the entire tour has been a marker on a personal journey.
South Africa was the destination for the 24-year-old’s maiden BLACKCAPS tour back in 2012/13, and it was where he made his ODI and Twenty20 International debuts.
“So it’s been good to come back and see how far I’ve come since my first Series here,” he says. “My main goal for this tour is to stay on the park and get through this tour, but once I’m home I’ll be able to train more for the next Series and develop more as a player.”
Good news for supporters back home is that we’ll be able to watch Neesham and his teammates online tonight. Cricket South Africa is providing a free livestream to New Zealand IP addresses at www.cricket.co.za from 8pm New Zealand time.
Livescoring will be available as always on www.blackcaps.co.nz as well, together with a free Radio Sport commentary audiostream if you prefer to listen. The Cricket South Africa online livestreaming will also be available for the third and final ODI on Wednesday NZT.
“The grounds have been a little bit soft at this time of year, but I think the pitches have been playing quite well and it’s been good to have a bit of a contest between bat and ball,” says Neesham. And it’s music to a brisk allrounder’s ears, to be fair.
“We’ve seen the bowling team managing to pull things back at the death, especially. I think we pulled it back well with the ball in the first innings the other day. We had let them get away from us at the start, and didn’t take the wickets up front like we are used to doing. So it was always going to be difficult to pull them back at the end, but we managed to do that quite well — and just fell short.”
Marty Guptill's fitness will be assessed tonight
BLACKCAPS opener Martin Guptill has been in crunching form and when he painfully injured his hand in the field during the game, there were fears he had broken a bone. But the outlook quickly became more promising, with x-rays showing no fracture and Guptill taking his place in the batting order regardless, dropping down to four, his cameo of 25 runs including two boundaries and a six.
“He was a wee bit sore after the last game,” says Neesham, “but he’s had a good couple of days off in between and I’m sure he’ll be a good chance of playing.”
Guptill trained overnight New Zealand time and will be assessed for fitness ahead of tonight’s must-win encounter, the ground already a sellout as two of the most exciting teams in the world of One-Day cricket go head-to-head for the Series spoils.
