Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The senior national men’s selection committee of New Zealand has called upon promising all-rounder Nathan Smith and up-and-coming wicketkeeper-batsman Mitch Hay for next month’s white-ball tour of Sri Lanka. Bowling-allrounder Smith and wicketkeeper-batsman Hay have earned their maiden Black Caps call-ups, joining a 15-strong squad led by Mitchell Santner for two T20Is and three ODIs starting in Dambulla on November 9.
Smith’s maiden call-up continues a memorable twelve months for the 25-year-old who was crowned the Men’s Domestic Player of the Year at the New Zealand Cricket Awards in March, before receiving his first central contract last month.
Smith claimed 24 wickets across both white-ball competitions for his domestic team, Wellington Firebirds, last summer, including career-best T20 figures of 4-5 against the Otago Volts in Alexandra in the Dream11 Super Smash. Hay, who debuted for New Zealand A last year, has been a consistent performer across all three formats in recent seasons with the 24-year-old crowned Canterbury’s male Player of the Year in April.
The pair joins a fresh-looking Black Caps squad, made up of a host of experienced internationals and a selection of newer faces who have made international debuts in the past two years. Lockie Ferguson will spearhead a pace bowling group featuring Duffy and Canterbury’s Zak Foulkes, alongside all-rounders Smith and Josh Clarkson.
Powerful opener Tim Robinson earns his second call-up after excelling on his maiden international voyage to Pakistan in April, along with Clarkson who impressed in last summer’s ODIs against Bangladesh. Leg-spinner Ish Sodhi is the most experienced T20I player in the squad with 117 appearances.
Michael Bracewell and Glenn Phillips are the spin-bowling all-rounders, alongside Santner, while Dean Foxcroft offers some off-spin alongside his specialist batting skills. The experience of Phillips, Will Young and Henry Nicholls bolsters the batting, with Nicholls coming off an impressive Ford Trophy campaign last summer where he scored 301 runs in six games at 75.25.
Six of the current Black Caps Test squad in India have been included and will relocate straight to Sri Lanka after the third Test against India in Mumbai. Bracewell will join the white-ball squad from New Zealand, following his return home from India this week for the birth of his second child. Tom Blundell, Devon Conway, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Southee and Kane Williamson were not considered for selection as they prioritise the upcoming three-Test series against England, starting in Christchurch on November 28.
