New Zealand coach Mike Hesson has said his team will seek clarifications from the match referee on how West Indies offspinner Shane Shillingford’s illegal deliveries are policed. Shillingford, who was suspended during the tour of New Zealand after both his conventional offspinner and the doosra were found to be breaching the 15-degree flex limit, will be playing his first international match after remedial work on his action. His doosra, though, remains illegal.
“It’s quite hard to see how they actually police that,” Hesson said. “It’s all very well saying it, but do they call a batsman back if he bowls a doosra? It’s going to be an interesting discussion with the match referee.”
“Same with [Marlon] Samuels, he’s not allowed to bowl a quicker ball so we’ll certainly get some clarification on those two things.”
Shillingford was reported during the second Test against India, in Mumbai, in November, and following testing was suspended in New Zealand in December. It was the second time he had been suspended due to an illegal action. Subsequent testing on March 4, again at the University of Western Australia in Perth, showed that his offspinner and straighter ball were within the regulations after remedial work. On his return, he grabbed 11 wickets in a first-class game at the Sabina Park, which also hosts the first Test, and Hesson remains wary of the threat.
“He’ll get more bounce and turn over here whereas in New Zealand they tended to slide on a lot more,” Hesson said. “Shillingford seems to be their first-choice spinner, and [left-armer] Sulieman Benn is back in favour. None of our guys have faced a lot of him and, with his bounce and his height, he’s going to ask some different questions.”
While West Indies’ spinners are likely to pose a lot of problems for the visitors, New Zealand’s batsmen will also have to contend with a stronger pace attack compared to what they faced at home. The return of Kemar Roach, who had been sidelined last season with a shoulder injury, comes as a boost to the home side.
“It was excruciating pain, but I believe I am back now, and close to my best,” Roach said. “I just want to continue this form and go out in the park and give it a good shot.”
