Watling will not be NZ ’keeper in the first test

The Black Caps will have a new test wicketkeeper next week.

BJ Watling will not take the gloves in the first test against the West Indies in Wellington, but may play as a specialist batsman. The 32-year-old has kept in 44 of his 52 tests, but is struggling with a hip injury.

He opened for Northern Districts yesterday in their Plunket Shield match against Otago in Alexandra, making 56. He played at the top of the order against Auckland as well.

Watling has been New Zealand’s wicketkeeper in the past 21 tests. His most recent appearance as a specialist batsman was in the May 2015 victory over England at Headingley where he scored a century.

Tom Blundell looms as his replacement. He will be the wicketkeeper for New Zealand A in the three-day match against the West Indies, starting today at Lincoln. If selected, he would become the country’s 273rd test cricketer.

The 27-year-old has played one Twenty20 match for the Black Caps. He kept but did not bat in the victory over Bangladesh at Mt Maunganui.

In the wake of Luke Ronchi’s retirement, Blundell has been a dominant performer in Wellington’s undefeated Plunket Shield side across four matches this season. He leads the dismissal table with 24 — 23 catches and one stumping — and averages 60.66 with the bat, having made 182 runs from six innings with three not outs.

In Plunket Shield action yesterday, 33 wickets fell in two of the matches; 18 at Eden Park Outer Oval as Canterbury made 194 for eight in reply to Auckland’s poor 181 and 15 at Nelson’s Saxton Oval as Cental Districts reach 114 for five in reply to Wellingon’s 171. North Districts defied the trend with 301 for six against Otago.