Setback after injuring ankle
Pakistan in the UAE on November 2, Milne returned to action for the Central Stags this month for their final three games of the Super Smash competition, where he helped them to victory with three wickets in the final against the Northern Knights in Hamilton last Sunday.
The two-day match against the touring Bangladesh side was the ideal opportunity for him to ramp up his bowling loads, ahead of the final three rounds of the Plunket Shield.
However, he’ll now have to try and jump straight back into fourday action to be able to push his case to Black Caps coach Gary Stead and fellow selector Gavin Larsen.
Despite being a key part of the 2015 World Cup side, Milne hasn’t played an ODI since October 2017, and he now has a like-for-like in Lockie Ferguson who can match his ability to bowl in excess of 150kmh.
But if there were injuries to any of New Zealand’s seam bowlers, Milne could well be right in the frame as next cab off the rank, providing his body plays ball.
Without his strike power, the NZ XI duly struggled to make inroads against Bangladesh, with the tourists getting some good batting practice in in the drawn encounter, ahead of the three-test series which starts in Hamilton on Thursday.
In cruising to 411-6 in 96.1 overs on day one, Bangladesh had four players retire and four make half centuries – Shadman Islam (67), Liton Das (62 ret), Mahmudullah (59 ret) and Mehedi Hasan Miraz (51 ret).
The NZ XI then got to 57-2 in 12 overs yesterday before rain put an end to proceedings.