New Zealand coach Gary Stead explained the decision to omit Tim Southee from the third Test in Sydney after the move to ‘rest’ him attracted bewilderment and criticism from experts.

Southee, the most experienced Kiwi bowler in the current set-up, was one of five changes made by New Zealand for the third Test against Australia, most of which were illness-forced. However, a fully fit Southee’s omission, left many, including his former captain Brendon McCullum ‘staggered’.

Speaking at the end of the first day’s play on Friday, Stead said: “We just felt we wanted a bit more pace out there with what Matt offers over Tim. The workload that Tim’s had, not just in the last two tests, but you put the last four together it’s somewhere around about 200 overs in a short period of time [99.4 overs in the first two Tests]. I just felt what Matt offered might have given us a point of difference.”

Southee’s 12 wickets at 25.75 are the second-best numbers in the series, behind only Neil Wagner, but the Kiwis decided to give spinners Todd Astle and Will Sommerville a go, with Henry sharing the new ball with Colin de Grandhomme, and Wagner acting as the third pacer.

With Kane Williamson and Trent Boult also unavailable, it was the first time since 2009 that none of the three experienced players featured in a Test for New Zealand, with a ‘disappointed’ Southee consigned to drink-carrying duties.

At the time of the toss, it was said that Southee had been rested, and that was a source of bewilderment for the commentators.

Brendon McCullum, speaking on SEN Radio, pointed out that the team has two weeks off after the final Test ends and the India series begins.

“That [fast bowling] was not the area that was broken. That was sort of one of the areas that was going OK.

“The only reason he was maybe lacking penetration with the seamers outside of Wagner is that they were having to bowl a lot of the spin overs that Mitchell Santner wasn’t able to operate to. It seems a little odd to me.”

Michael Vaughan too, couldn’t get his head around Southee’s omission: “How can that be right that Tim Southee is out there fielding in the 12th over of the game, yet he’s not playing in the test match?” Vaughan said on Fox Cricket.

In Southee’s absence, his replacement, Henry sent down 21 overs without any luck, even as New Zealand ran into another Marnus Labuschangne ton, who guided his team to 283 with just three wickets down. Neither of the spinners claimed a wicket on the opening day.

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However, Stead insisted that having two spinners on the Sydney track was a sound decision, given that the surface appeared dry, and likely to deteriorate as the game progresses.

“When we looked at the wicket, it looked like a wicket which had been used in the past. Apparently it hasn’t been, but it definitely looked that way – it was certainly very dry. When we were down here for training two days ago, they’d put a lot of moisture into it and thrown some grass clippings on it which is a good sign that it’s very, very dry.

“In the end, once the decision was made to play two spinners, then it was about working out how we manage those quick bowlers after that.”

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Gary SteadTim SoutheeInternational CricketSeries Editorial