NZ preparing for next mission
MELBOURNE: After breaking new ground in the Caribbean, the Black Caps have little time to rest before heading to Australia for a oneday international series that was repeatedly shelved due to Covid19.
The Black Caps were midway through a threeday journey home yesterday after a fruitful tour of West Indies, where they notched their first oneday and T20 series wins against the host.
They will have a week’s break at home but then head back to Australia for another oneday series as they look to continue their winning momentum in the leadup to the T20 World Cup in the same country.
New Zealand’s last whiteball tour of Australia ended abruptly in March, 2020, as the pandemic brought a halt to global sport.
Multiple attempts reschedule the oneday ChappellHadlee Trophy backfired as governments in both countries slammed their borders shut and placed onerous quarantine demands on international arrivals.
With the last restrictions lifted this year, the threematch series can finally go ahead in Cairns from September 6.
‘‘Every time we come up against the Australians, we have some pretty good games,’’ said New Zealand allrounder to
Mitch Santner, manoftheseries against West Indies in the oneday component.
‘‘We obviously haven’t played the series in a little bit now . . . We’ve played a lot of cricket but the week at home will be nice to get the lads freshened up, ready to go for another ChappellHadlee series.’’
Apart from the trophy, there is little at stake in the oneday international series, but both squads will have plenty of players set to feature in the T20 World Cup in OctoberNovember.
Beaten by Australia in last year’s T20 World Cup final in the United Arab Emirates, New Zealand will especially relish the chance to get one over its transtasman rivals ahead of the global showpiece. — Reuters