Phillips and Conway set to face Windies ‘A’

MOUNT MAUNGANUI, New Zealand (CMC) — Batsmen Glenn Phillips and Devon Conway, two thorns in the West Indies’ side during their Twenty20 International series with New Zealand, have been selected for the Blackcaps’ reserves to face Windies “A” in the first “Test”, starting on Thursday (Wednesday night Caribbean time) at the Bay oval.

Phillips made the fastest hundred by a New Zealander in the second T20I this past Sunday at the Bay Oval in Mount Manganui and South Africaborn, left-hander Conway, in his debut international series, batted with aplomb against Kieron Pollard’s side to help the home team win the threematch series 2-0, after rain washed out the final contest.

Ish Sodhi and Tim Seifert, two other New Zealand T20 team members, have been named in the Blackcaps’ reserve side.

Auckland Aces batsman Mark Chapman and Central Stags all-rounder Doug Bracewell, who joined the New Zealand T20I squad for the rained-off third and final match of the series against West Indies have also been included.

Selector Gavin Larsen made it clear this was an opportunity for players to show their Test credentials.

“We’re delighted to be naming such a strong squad to take on West Indies ‘A’,” he said.

“It really does highlight the talent depth we currently have and underlines our intentions to look at a wide group of potential Test players over this New Zealand ‘A’ season.”

Larsen added: “To have 10 Blackcaps included across the two games is a testament to that depth and we know the next tier of players get a lot out of sharing a changing room with our internationals.

“To have guys in red-hot form like Glenn, Devon… is a bonus and I know they’ll be keen to prove what they can do in the longest form of the game.”

Squad: Doug Bracewell, Joe Carter, Devon Conway, Mark Chapman, Dane Cleaver, Jacob Duffy, Scott Kuggeleijn, Cole Mcconchie, Glenn Phillips, Tim Seifert, Nathan Smith, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner.