Will Scott Kuggeleijn feature for the BLACKCAPS in the next 12 months?

Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner took the World T20 tournament by storm. They put Aotearoa's spinning talents on display as two young spinners, one a leggy and one rather similar to the cricketing deity Daniel Vettori combined lethal accuracy, variation and spin, actual spin. The world was watching Sodhi and Santner, probably rather scared as two young kiwi spinners showed what they can do, on the biggest stage.

Can you consider the fortunes of Sodhi and Santner a surprise when four of the Plunket Shield's top wicket-takers were spinners though?

That's the main take-away from this season's Plunket Shield with regards to the bowlers as Ajaz Patel (43 wickets), Tarun Nethula (39), Todd Astle (35) and Jeetan Patel (32) put the seamers in the shade. Similar to the variety that Sodhi and Santner offer the BLACKCAPS, these four spinners are masters at a different craft, it's not like there's a stockpile of off-spinners in kiwi domestic cricket.

Central District's Patel offers left-arm orthodox, Auckland's Nethula and Canterbury's Astle are both leggies while Wellington's Patel is the OG off-spinner. Nethula, Astle and Jeetz have all played cricket in some format for their country, with Nethula and Jeetz over 30-years-old, Astle 29 and Ajaz is 27. Ajaz's numbers are slightly off-set by the fact that he bowled the most overs (399 overs), while Astle has the lowest average of the four with 25.34.

Applying the wider context, it's hard to see any of these four spinners making the jump up to the BLACKCAPS any time soon with Sodhi and Santner holding it down. Jeetz has effectively given up on international cricket and fair enough as he's taken at least 50 First Class wickets in four straight English summers, Jeetz is a cricketing wizard in England. What's also impressive about Jeetz's work this summer is that his 32 wickets is the most he's ever taken in a kiwi First Class summer.

It's hard not to love Jeetan Patel, we still love you Jeetz.

Nethula's time has come and gone for higher honours while Astle was the victim of an incredibly confusing selection this summer. Astle was amazing in the Ford Trophy and enjoyed a strong Plunket Shield campaign, only to be selected in the BLACKCAPS T20 squad where he didn't go so well and understandably so. Ajaz will need to prove that he's better than Sodhi, Santner and Mark Craig, the number of wickets and the consistency of his work however does ensure that there's pressure on the BLACKCAPS spinners. Ajaz is there waiting for an opportunity.

Two seamers who also sit in the category of probably not being rewarded for their domestic work with international honours are Andrew Ellis and Brent Arnel, two stereotypical kiwi medium-pacers. Arnel shifted down from ND to Wellington a season ago with the Knights calling on younger lads to fill the Trent Boult and Tim Southee void, where he's been his impressive self. Arnel took 32 wickets, tied with Jeetz for the most wickets for Wellington this season.

Ellis finished the season with the best bowling average of any bowler with more than 10 wickets, taking 33 wickets at an average of 18.57 and an economy rate of only 2.23 rpo. Ellis is just like Jeetz in that they are veterans who are still the best in the country at what they do, they won't be celebrated by the mainstream because they aren't 'sexy' names nor are they really in contention for the BLACKCAPS.

So let's take a moment, light one up or sip your drink in honour of Andrew Ellis and Jeetan Patel. One time for Andy and Jeetz.

The top wicket-taker who doesn't give the ball a tweak is Scott Kuggeleijn, who along with James Baker did a fine job with Boult and Southee away for much of the season. Kuggeleijn is a hustler of a bowler, he's got a whippy action and can wind it up while Baker is more of a kiwi-line-and-length bowler. Kuggeleijn took 38 wickets at an average of 25.81 and Baker took 33 wickets at 28.03, with both Knights seamers putting bowlers who I had noted up and coming seamers, in the shade.

Two lads who caught my eye and really stood up this year are Lachie Ferguson and Navin Patel. Ferguson took 31 wickets at the rather freakish average of 22.12, freakish when you consider that Ferguson could make a strong case for being the quickest bowler in Aotearoa not named Adam Milne. He'd need to stack a few more seasons of quality quick bowling together to be in contention for higher honours, just know that there is a bowler who can bowl quick in the domestic scene.

Navin Patel is the opposite of Ferguson in that he's a medium-pacer who gets that lovely out-swing to the right-hander. At only 21-years-old, Navin has enjoyed a breakout season taking 27 wickets at an average of 27.55 and went wicket-less in only two innings' since making his debut on December 17, what's most impressive about Navin is that he finished the season with a 5-wicket-haul in each of his last two games, taking 12 wickets total in those last two games.

It's hard to really gauge which seamers are in the mix for the BLACKCAPS, or on the fringes, especially when the likes of Matt Henry and Doug Bracewell both had solid seasons with Canterbury and CD. Henry took 20 wicket at an average of 29.75 and Bracewell took 18 wickets at only 22.44, meaning that these two still hold the advantage over the up and coming crew.

Here's what I consider to be the BLACKCAPS' Stable of bowlers: Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Neil Wagner, Doug Bracewell, Adam Milne, Mitchell McClenaghan and Matt Henry.

Here's a group of bowlers who are all fairly young and are in that second tier, either a few injuries away from being in the mix for a BLACKCAPS spot or capable of demanding selection with another strong season.

Scott Kuggeleijn: ND, 24yrs, 38 wickets @ 25.81.

James Baker: ND, 28yrs, 33 wickets @ 28.03.

Lachie Ferguson: Auckland, 24yrs, 31 wickets @ 22.12.

Navin Patel: CD, 21yrs, 27 wickets @ 27.55.

Jacob Duffy: Otago, 21yrs, 24 wickets @ 40.95.

Kyle Jamieson: Canterbury, 21yrs, 21 wickets @ 27.33.

Logan van Beek: Canterbury, 25yrs, 18 wickets @ 26.33.

Mathew Quinn: Auckland, 23yrs, 18 wickets @ 29.77.

Brett Hampton: ND, 24yrs, 12 wickets @ 26.91.

Ed Nuttall: Canterbury, 22yrs, 11 wickets @ 18.36.

Just like our kiwi batting stocks, the bowling stocks are pretty damn healthy. In that BLACKCAPS Stable group we have bowlers who can step in and do a job for the national team right now if called upon, while in the 'up and coming' group we have bowlers who should have kiwi cricket fans anticipating their future contributions to the BLACKCAPS.

We also have a group of spinners who will maintain pressure on the BLACKCAPS' young spinners. This is the best possible position as it ensures that we get the best out of Sodhi and Santner, who will be shown plenty of faith and deservedly so but if they aren't doing the business then we have experienced campaigners who can be called upon.