Test cap is still Ferguson’s ‘number one goal’

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New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson doesn’t want to be pigeonholed as a limited-overs specialist.

Ferguson has impressed across 16 ODIs and one T20I since January 2017’s international debut, but is still awaiting a maiden appearance in a Test bowling attack spearheaded by seamers Trent Boult and Tim Southee.

“To get a New Zealand Test cap is still my number one goal,” Ferguson told ESPNcricinfo.

“The New Zealand team is playing some good Test cricket at the moment, so it’s tough to break into the side. But I love playing red-ball cricket. I feel comfortable with the red ball in my hand. If I put up results then that’s great, and sometimes that doesn’t happen, but I’ll just keep working away.

“Fortunately the Black Caps have a lot of Test cricket coming up in the next year – a lot more than the last couple – so with that comes more opportunity.”

The 27-year-old’s outright pace and slower variatons served him well with a fruitful stint for Derbyshire in the Vitality Blast earlier this month. His solid form, then, continued in the County Championship with a telling four-wicket haul against Sussex at Hove.

“I’ve worked a lot on my slower ball. The top players are good against quick bowling because they can use the pace, and sometimes the faster you bowl the quicker it goes to the boundary,” he added.

“So the slower ball was always going to be a good weapon in this comp, especially with the slower English wickets. For the most part, I’m still just trying to attack batters and be aggressive and still look to get them out – that tends to be when I bowl my best balls.”

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