NZ take full strength side to Australia for ODI series

WELLINGTON: New Zealand will take a full strength bowling attack to Australia for the one-day international series later this month after including Trent Boult, Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson in their squad for the series on Wednesday.

The trio missed the recent 3-0 home series victory over India through injury but join fellow pacemen Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson in the 15-man squad for two matches in Sydney and a third at Hobart from March 13-20.

All-rounder Jamieson made his ODI debut last month before playing a starring role with both bat and ball against the Indian tourists in his maiden Test series, which New Zealand sealed 2-0 on Monday.

“It’s great to welcome back the class of Trent, Matt and Lockie who spearheaded our run to the Cricket World Cup final last year,” New Zealand coach Gary Stead said in a news release.

“Our one-day unit is a pretty settled one with plenty of experience and I think that showed in the recent series against India. It’s an honour to compete for the Chappell-hadlee Trophy and I know it means a lot to the players to have the trophy in our cabinet.”

The Black Caps last played Australia in the 50-over format in the group stage of last year’s World Cup, losing by 86 runs at Lord’s.

New Zealand will defend the Chappell-hadlee Trophy in the upcoming series, which begins at Sydney Cricket Ground on March 13.

Of the 15 men who were part of the famous World Cup campaign, 14 return for this series, with Colin Munro the only absentee, replaced by Jamieson. Meanwhile, from the 14-man squad initially announced to play India, Hamish Bennett and Scott Kuggeleijn drop out, with the World Cup seam attack of Boult, Henry and Ferguson coming in.

The 15-man squad allows the Black Caps to avoid a tough call between Southee and Jamieson for the fourth seam spot, though it’s likely that the triumvirate that performed so well at the Cup will remain first-choice.

Additionally, the inclusion of both Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi in the squad, with two games at spinner-friendly SCG, might leave limited space for all five seamers to play a role during the series.

Squad: Kane Williamson (c), Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Jimmy Neesham, Henry Nicholls, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor