Notes from the Black Caps squad naming
Thirty is the new 20 and a Ben Stokes bounce.
1. STOCK OPTIONS
It’s a big squad to cover for the five IPLers who won’t be available for the two warm-up games.
It’s a little complicated but hold on. None of Kane Williamson, Tim Southee, Devon Conway, Trent Boult and Daryl Mitchell will be available for the first of two warm-up matches for the tour, which starts at Hove against Sussex on May 20. All, some or none might be available for the second match against a First Class Counties XI at Chelmsford starting May 26.
The first potential departure from India to England is Southee, whose Kolkata Knight Riders finish their round-robin campaign on May 19. Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings play on May 21, potentially freeing Boult, Mitchell and Conway, while the skipper’s Sunrisers Hyderabad play on May 23.
It is likely there will be some involvement with the playoffs, which run from May 25 to the grand final on May 30. With half the matches played, Rajasthan are third and Hyderabad fourth, though just four points separates third from Kolkata in eighth.
If you’re a Black Caps fan, you don’t really want any of the above-mentioned teams making the final because it means precious little turnaround and red-ball familiarisation before the first test starts at Lord’s on June 2.
With that in mind, the selectors have added top-order cover in Hamish Rutherford, versatility in Michael Bracewell and Rachin Ravindra who can both bat at the top or in the middle and bowl serviceable orthodox spin, a keeping back-up in Cam Fletcher and pace bowling cover in Blair Tickner and Jacob Duffy.
When the squad is trimmed to 15 ahead of the first test, it would seem likely that the majority of the early leavers will come from that group of six.
It’s impossible not to feel pleased for Bracewell1, 31, destined to be a domestic cricket journeyman until discovering an extra gear in his 30s. Someone should tell the people at Cricinfo that his profile pic could use an update.
Squad to tour England: Williamson (c), Will Young, Tom Latham, Rutherford, Conway, Henry Nicholls, Mitchell, Bracewell, Tom Blundell, Colin de Grandhomme, Ravindra, Fletcher, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Southee, Neil Wagner, Ajaz Patel, Tickner, Duffy, Boult.