Coach Hesson urges Black Caps to adapt quickly

Abu Dhabi — New Zealand coach Mike Hesson admitted that they have fallen short in all three departments against Pakistan and urged his side to adapt to the conditions quickly as they head to Dubai.

New Zealand were handed a mammoth 248-run loss by a red-hot Pakistan, who have been in top form, in the first Test in Abu Dhabi. The teams will renew rivalry again when the second Test rolls out in three days at the Dubai International Stadium at the Dubai Sports City. He also hinted that they wouldn’t tinker and would probably go in with the same XI in Dubai. “I’m expecting us to improve, expecting us to adapt to the conditions quicker,” Hesson said.

“Our bowling still has plenty of work to do. I think it is easy from a train-crash point of view to blame the batting, but overall, we were outplayed in all three departments and we need to improve and we are well aware of that,” Hesson added.

Hesson said that their two virtually new spinners Mark Craig and Ish Sodhi will have to adapt and learn on what is required in such conditions. “We have to find a way with the ball to create the opportunities. As a seam bowling group, I think we bowled pretty well but we weren’t able to create the opportunities that some of the Pakistan seam bowlers were able to. So, that is definitely what we need to work on. Our spinners have just got to adapt to the conditions. They are young and talented but they need to learn what is required in these conditions and that’s part of their development,” said the 40-year-old.

New Zealand will most probably go in with the same bowling attack which means left-arm quick Neil Wagner and the recalled Doug Bracewell are set to miss out. Wagner played the three-day tour game against Pakistan ‘A’ in Sharjah and took one wicket for 38.

“I think we will look at that but like I said at the start, our seamers, I think bowled pretty well and still never looked like getting a wicket. The guys who have bowled for us here have done well over a long period of time as is Wagner. But I think the guys who have faced the conditions, will be better prepared when it comes to Dubai,” he said.

Like Australia, the Black Caps too were found out against spin and Hesson said that the batsmen will have to learn quickly to counter it. “Spin was a factor but we lost nine wickets to seam as well. When the ball reverses we lost wickets in clumps, and probably with the new ball against the spinners, it was harder. When the ball got softer, it got easier to play. We didn’t adapt as we would have liked but are a group of quick learners, so, we have got to learn pretty quickly as we head to Dubai,” said Hesson.

Hesson was pleased with how Tom Latham has shaped up. The young opener showed that he belonged here with a fighting maiden Test hundred. “I think Tom Latham is a real stand-out. The way he played in the West Indies, the temperament he brought to the innings, he was very calm and he carried that into this Test.