Munro, Phillips out of decider
The Black Caps won’t have their best Twenty20 batsman on hand for tomorrow’s series decider against Pakistan and have also changed wicketkeepers.
Colin Munro has been ruled out with a mild hamstring strain and will be replaced in the squad by Ross Taylor, while Glenn Phillips has been released back to Auckland with one-day gloveman Tom Blundell called up from Wellington.
"After discussion with Glenn, we felt he’d benefit from going back and continuing to evolve his game with Auckland," coach Mike Hesson said.
"Glenn has a big future, but at this point in time we both think continuing to get experience on the domestic scene is the right move.
"Tom’s ability to slot into the middle order made him the right choice to come into the squad.
"Looking beyond Sunday’s game, we have a top three who are very set, so it’s important Tom can come into that middle order and do a role for us."
Phillips has been named in Auckland’s squad for the fourth round of the Ford Trophy on Saturday.
He made 5 in the second T20 against Pakistan on Thursday, which followed a 3 in the first match, and scores of 7no, 10 and 56 against the West Indies before that this summer.
Munro has scored 41 per cent of the Black Caps’ T20 runs this summer, even after only making one in Thursday night’s loss at Eden Park.
His innings have played a big part in all four of the team’s wins in the game’s shortest format, and he will be sorely missed as they seek to claim the series.
Four other Black Caps have made a single score of 30 or more this season – Phillips, Martin Guptill, Mitchell Santner and Ben Wheeler – while Munro has four such scores on his own.
That is partially a product of the format – the Black Caps’ middle order have often come in with a platform set and a licence to go for broke – but it does mean a new source of runs will have to be found if they are to win the series.
Wheeler made 30 off 20 balls on Thursday, coming in when the Black Caps were reduced to 64-6 early in their innings.
He has batting ability that none
of the Black Caps’ other fit seamers have, and it could work in his favour, with the squad for next Saturday’s tri-series opener against Australia in Sydney to be named on Monday.
The Black Caps selectors are optimistic Munro will be able to make that trip.
Wheeler will hope to get another run on Sunday in Mount Maunganui to press his case, and to shake the unwanted tag of being the only Black Cap not involved in a win so far this summer – Thursday’s match was his first, and the team’s first loss.
He was pleased with his individual effort – he also took two for 36 from four overs with the ball – but said it would have been more satisfying if it had led to a win.
‘‘It was nice to have good hit out, but the win as a team is the most important thing.’’
Wheeler has been in and out of action with injury since making his Black Caps debut in June 2015, but has been a regular for Central Districts since returning from a hamstring injury at the end of November.
He said it was great to be back with the national team, having last played in a T20 loss to South Africa last February.
‘‘It’s always nice to get back in the squad and just be around the team and coaches and all that. You can get a little bit lost in the domestic scene at times.’’
Wheeler’s batting was one of the few bright spots in the Black Caps’ losing effort on Thursday and included a sweetly-hit six straight down the ground.