3 bowlers New Zealand can groom as Trent Boult's successor in T20Is ft. Ben Lister
With New Zealand bowing out of the T20 World Cup after their final group game against Papua New Guinea, it is time for the Kiwis to let go of one of their all time greats Trent Boult. Ahead of their game against PNG, Boult confirmed that the final group game will be his final T20 World Cup match.
However, he didn't quite confirm whether it was the last time we were seeing him in New Zealand colors in the T20 format. The Kiwis endured a disappointing campaign and were knocked out of the tournament after two massive losses against Afghanistan and West Indies. They won against Uganda and Papua New Guinea but it wasn't enough to book them a spot in the Super 8s.
Over the years, Boult has emerged as one of the finest white-ball bowlers in world cricket. Thanks to his ability to take wickets consistently with the new ball and then having all the attributes to control the game in the middle overs, it will be a big void left once the left-arm pacer calls it quits from this format.
In the company of Tim Southee, the duo forged one of the finest bowling pairs in the white-ball format. Boult, in particular, made a massive difference in his illustrious career and the New Zealand management has to search for a proper replacement which could be an arduous task.
Having said that, let us take a look at three possible options whom New Zealand can groom as Trent Boult’s successor:
#1 Ben Lister
One of the very few left-arm pacers in the New Zealand domestic circuit who has already broken into the national team, Ben Lister has to be groomed well for him to achieve anywhere close to the success that Boult achieved. He is a good new-ball bowler having the ability to swing the ball both ways.
Just like Boult, Lister’s natural length in that good length area gives him the opportunity to trouble the batters from one area consistently. Against the old ball, he has a tendency of going for some runs but he is still just in the infancy of his international career.
Lister made his first-class debut for Auckland during the 2017-18 Plunkett Trophy and within a few months, he became an integral part of the setup. Consistent performances in the domestic circuit eventually earned him a spot in the New Zealand side for the T20I series against India in 2023. Since then, he has played 12 T20Is and a solitary ODI for New Zealand.
#2 Ben Sears
Not from the similar mould of Trent Boult, but Ben Sears could be equally effective if given a longer rope. A tall lanky speedster can be an ideal replacement for Boult given his ability to swing the ball at pace. He has a fair idea about which lengths to bowl at which time of the game.
Sears made his List A debut during the 2018-19 Ford Trophy for Wellington. Much quicker and nippier than Trent Boult, Sears has the ability to unsettle any batters with his pace and ability to make the ball rise from unusual areas.
In his 17-game T20I career so far, Sears has bagged 19 wickets at an impressive economy rate. If groomed well and given more chances, the 26-year-old could try and fill in the void left by Boult.
#3 William O’Rourke
Another fast bowler who can go on to play for New Zealand at least for 10 years is William O’Rourke, who had a brilliant start to his international career. Tipped to be an all-format bowler for the Kiwis, O’Rourke can be trained as the future replacement for Boult.
The lanky fast bowler hits the pitch hard and can generate steep bounce consistently. He made his international debut in an ODI against Bangladesh in December 2023.
He made his Test debut a couple of months later against South Africa and had a brilliant time with the ball. In three T20Is so far, O’Rourke has picked up four wickets at an impressive economy rate of 7.08.