‘What Tim, Trent and Wags have done in the last eight or ten years is nothing short of world class’
It seemed like Kyle Jamieson couldn’t go wrong on Saturday. He had gotten off to a good start, making sure to have a present waiting for his girlfriend for her birthday, and finished it off with his second round of five courses in test cricket.
“I actually figured it out myself this morning,” the 25-year-old said after the day’s game. “I was very wise and went downstairs and saw the concierge and hopefully she won’t be hearing this before she goes back to the room and hopefully sees a nice bunch of flowers there.”
Much like when he needed the help of hotel staff to surprise his partner, Jamieson needed the help of his teammates to bring the West Indies down to 124 from 8. The rookie will make the headlines at 13-4-34- 5, but your perspective is pretty clear.
“It’s called, I guess, a four-pronged attack,” Jamieson said. “And I guess I’m the fourth element of that myself. You look at Tim [Southee] and Trent [Boult] and wiggles [Neil Wagner] and the way they’ve done their business in the last eight or ten years and it’s nothing short of world class.
“And I think for me, first of all, being in the environment around those guys, I learn a lot. And then going in and going around what those guys are doing, it makes my job a little easier.
“I consider myself very lucky to play on the same team as those guys and to play at the same time as three of the best rapids in New Zealand.”
Jamieson’s rise adds a new dimension to that already powerful bowling attack. His force is to throw the ball upwards. His advantage is his height, which often leaves opposing hitters caught in his crease. Harnessing his strength and exploiting his weakness from his first change in this game, the fast pitcher was inches from a first test hat-trick.
It all started when Jamieson caught John Campbell on the second slip. Then he received timely advice. “Yeah, I drove a wicket early and then I think it was Daryl Mitchell who said, ‘Try a great innie (inswinger),’ and it worked, so that was probably his wicket more than mine.”
Now Roston Chase was gone, sunk at the neck and waist by an unplayable incoming delivery. Two wickets in two balls and Jermaine Blackwood entered.
Jamieson had already scored a hat-trick this summer and, as outrageous as it was, he wasn’t ruling out his chances of landing another. “I thought I’d be lucky enough if I tried to get it twice in one season. But it’s worth a try anyway.”
In front of a packed house in the Basin Reserve, and playing the highest form of the game, he hit Blackwood on the pads. Everybody called out: the whole team and the whole crowd. The referee’s finger did not. And DRS agreed with his call.
“I knew it was missing. I think it was about playing with the crowd a bit. It was a great atmosphere. I’m not really sure I could beat, I guess, the Basin Reserve on a day like today. So yeah, we figured why not We will try. And sadly, I was doing too much. “
Jamieson wasn’t the only one who enjoyed some time in the spotlight. Wagner had given New Zealand a happy start to day two … bat in hand.
Playing his 50th Test Match, the left-arm closer hit 66 of 42 balls and remained undefeated as his team scored a massive 460 runs on the board.
“Oh, it was great entertainment for everyone,” Jamieson said. “You know, for the crowd first and also for us in the locker room. It was amazing to see him hit the way he did and get his first test fifty. He can certainly hold a bat. So for him to get his payoff was amazing to see. “
What was Wagner like at the end of the innings? “Oh, he was pretty happy. He was pretty nervous when he went out to lunch in ’48, it wasn’t. He had Boult and Southee in his ear poking him. And yes, he was pretty happy, as I should be. Think, with the form how he hit and the way he brought that intention into the final part of innings. “
New Zealand is just two wickets away from deciding whether they want the West Indies to follow this series for the second time. But Jamieson insisted the team isn’t thinking that far right now. “I don’t talk about it yet. We’ll just enjoy today and reflect on how it went and what we have to do to take two more wickets and then it’ll probably be a conversation for, I guess, guys above my pay grade.”
Alagappan Muthu is deputy editor of ESPNcricinfo
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