West Indies face weakened side in ODI hitout

The West Indies will face what is effectively a ‘‘New Zealand H’’ side in their sole one-day warmup match on tour.

With New Zealand’s best players involved in the six-team domestic Twenty20 competition which began this week, the New Zealand XI to play the tourists in Whangarei today includes only includes two internationals and a handful of names that just the keenest fan will recognise.

Test opener Jeet Raval - not in the Auckland T20 side - will front in the 50-over-per-side match at Cobham Oval, along with former test offspinner Mark Craig.

First-class players Bharat Popli and Henry Cooper (Northern Districts), Otago’s Michael Rae, Wellington’s Fraser Colson and Canterbury’s Jack Boyle have been selected, along with exciting Auckland limited-overs batsman Sean Solia.

Selector Gavin Larsen said that with players involved in the Burger King Super Smash not available, it was still a talented squad.

The Black Caps will meet the West Indies in the first game of a three-game series in Whangarei on Wednesday.

The visitors’ ODI squad differs notably from the test outfit that lost that series 2-0.

Chris Gayle and fellow powerhitter Evin Lewis will test the NZ pace attack.

Left-arm spinner Nikita Miller and uncapped fast bowler Ronsford Beaton are also part of the 15-man squad.