Tourists
The squads for the tour of Sri Lanka have been announced.
First up is the test squad:
- Daniel Vettori (captain)
- Craig Cumming
- Grant Elliott
- Daniel Flynn
- Martin Guptill
- Chris Martin
- Brendon McCullum
- Tim McIntosh
- Iain O’Brien
- Jacob Oram
- Jeetan Patel
- Jesse Ryder
- Ross Taylor
- Daryl Tuffey
- Reece Young
I’ve marked three names in this list in red, the non-contracted players. I find it surprising that just a week after indicating their favourite players in the contracts list, the selectors change their minds and offer up a slightly different list. In this respect, Tuffey is an interesting choice, as he wins selection above the contracted players Kyle Mills, Tim Southee, James Franklin, Ian Butler and Brent Arnel. Reece Young also displaces the otherwise preferred back-up wicket keeper Gareth Hopkins, as well as Peter McGlashan (though McGlashan hasn’t yet figured in the test equation). In contrast, Craig Cumming only knocks one contracted batsman out, Neil Broom, who hasn’t been considered for test cricket anyway. Which poses the question as to whether the contracts list is weighted too much in favour of bowlers.
I don’t disagree with the selections too much however. I would have like to see Franklin in for Elliot. I would of course liked to have seen Shane Bond in the test squad, but it was definitely sensible to hold him back for this leg of the tour. I would also rate Tuffey above Mills and Southee, on current form. I don’t think I personally would have given Cumming a second look. However, I must admit to being pleased he has been given the chance to erase the memory of what must be one of the worst cameos earlier this year when he was called into the one-day squad to play one match, in which he scored 0 and dropped a catch, but also thereby missing the State Shield final, which his team Otago lost in his absence.
The ODI/20-20 squad brings in the following:
- Shane Bond
- Neil Broom
- Ian Butler
- Gareth Hopkins (ODIs only)/Peter McGlashan (Twenty20s only)
- Nathan McCullum
- Kyle Mills
With the following being dropped:
- Craig Cumming
- Daniel Flynn
- Chris Martin
- Tim McIntosh
- Iain O’Brien
- Daryl Tuffey
- Reece Young
So big differences between the test and limited over squads, with about half the squad changing.
One of the reasons such changes can be made is because NZ A is playing across the Palk Straight in Chennai, assuming it is confirmed. The NZ A squad includes most of the guys added for the limited over leg:
- Peter Fulton (captain)
- Brent Arnel
- Shane Bond
- Neil Broom
- Brendon Diamanti
- Gareth Hopkins
- Jamie How
- Peter McGlashan
- Nathan McCullum
- Kyle Mills
- Tarun Nethula
- Aaron Redmond
- Tim Southee
- BJ Watling
- Kane Williamson
In some ways this is actually a more interesting squad than the test squad. There are a couple of players there who I would like to stay in touch of the test squad, Peter Fulton and Jamie How, who I think are better than they have been. As well as the future of NZ cricket, Brent Arnel, Bradley-John Watling and Kane Williamson, or so we are to believe. And other exciting additions, Tarun Nethula and Shane Bond actually back playing for New Zealand.
