Bowlers in spotlight as NZ A head to India
Bowlers Ben Lister and Matt Fisher are set to come under the spotlight more this season than initially expected following Trent Boult’s release from his Black Caps contract.
The pair were last week named in the New Zealand A squad for their tour of India next month, among a string of experienced players.
Fisher is one of just two players under the age of 26 in a squad cocaptained by batters Tom Bruce (Central Districts) and Robbie O’Donnell (Auckland).
Black Caps selector Gavin Larsen said there were specific types of players seen as obvious targets with an eye to becoming international players, with Lister and Fisher among those categories.
While Boult is hopeful he hasn’t played his final test for New Zealand, the left-arm quick is going to be less available to selectors, who will also want to give opportunities to others.
‘‘With Ben Lister, obviously given the Trent Boult news, the magnifying glass starts to fall a little more on our developing left-armers,’’ Larsen said.
At a glance
New Zealand A squad: Tom Bruce (c) (Central Districts), Robbie O’Donnell (c) (Auckland), Chad Bowes (Canterbury), Joe Carter (Northern Districts), Mark Chapman (Auckland), Dane Cleaver (wk) (Central Districts), Jacob Duffy (Otago), Matt Fisher (Northern Districts), Cameron Fletcher (wk) (Canterbury), Ben Lister (Auckland), Rachin Ravindra (Wellington), Michael Rippon (Otago), Sean Solia (Auckland), Logan van Beek (Wellington), Joe Walker (Northern Districts).
Tour schedule, NZ A v India A: Four-day games, September 1-4, Sept 8-11, Sept 15-18, all in Bangalore; one-day games, September 22, Sept 25, Sept 27, all in Chennai.
The 26-year-old Aucklander isn’t an obvious contender as a potential Black Cap – he has 61 first-class wickets at an average of 26.16, 43 List A (one-day) scalps at 36.04 with an economy rate of 5.65 runs per over and 34 domestic T20 wickets at 27.85 (8.12 economy rate).
But he’s been given an opportunity to impress at the next level – albeit on the unforgiving surfaces of Bangalore and Chennai, with the NZ A side playing three four-day matches and three one-day games against India A.
Fisher has played just two firstclass games for Northern Districts but the former NZ under-19 representative has taken 18 wickets at 18.77 in one-day matches (economy rate 4.79).
Larsen said there was always an interest in bowlers ‘‘we think have the ability to bowl around 140kph, they have a point of difference’’.
‘‘Lockie Ferguson, Adam Milne, Ben Sears ... Matt has got raw pace, it’s a matter of making sure you handled them in a managed way.’’
Larsen said wrist spinners and genuine allrounders ‘‘those who can bat at six, and have the ability to be called a specialist batter or bowler’’ were other ‘‘really important focus areas’’.
It will be the first time the NZ A side has been in action since home matches against the West Indies and Pakistan in the 2020/21 season.
Seam bowling all-rounders Henry Shipley (Canterbury) and Nathan Smith (Wellington) were unavailable due to injury while CD paceman Blair Tickner has his upcoming wedding.