Munro left out of Black Caps squad for ODIS
Explosive batsman Colin Munro’s international cricket career hit another speed bump as middle order ‘‘pressure points’’ saw him jettisoned from New Zealand’s ODI team to face world No 1 South Africa.
After innings of two and three in the series win over Australia both ended by loose shots selectors Mike Hesson and Gavin Larsen left Munro out of the 14-man squad which features the return of wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi and in-form legspinner Ish Sodhi.
‘‘It was a tough call, no doubt about that. We’ve got Ronchs back in the squad created a pressure point in the middle order and Colin’s form was a bit inconsistent,’’ Larsen said.
After 20 ODIS, from which he averages 26, the 29-year-old Munro is regaining the tag of Twenty20 specialist as he prepares to bat No 3 for New Zealand in the one-off T20 international on Friday.
In the ODI side it was almost a luxury to have Munro at six and Jimmy Neesham at seven, and the latter now moves back into the topsix and faces more heat on his bowling again, with fellow allrounder Colin de Grandhomme also retained.
After the Black Caps beat Australia 2-0 to make it 26 wins from their last 30 completed ODIS at home, there was bound to be minimal selection movement.
Ronchi and Sodhi both create interesting selection debates for the five-match series starting in Hamilton on Sunday.
Opener Tom Latham kept wicket impressively against Australia and Larsen said he and Ronchi both offered compelling options; the latter returned from an abdominal strain for his Wellington team-mate Tom Blundell.
By playing Latham as wicketkeeper they can bat Mitchell Santner at seven and take a punt on five specialist bowlers, with Sodhi demanding inclusion as an attacking option.
Sodhi wasn’t required for the Australia ODI on a bouncy Hamilton pitch but if Sunday’s looks drier and more spin-friendly he will play opposite South Africa’s leggie Imran Tahir who arrives as the world’s top-ranked ODI bowler.
In the T20 squad Ross Taylor misses out again in a widely flagged move, despite his 96-ball ton against Australia.
The key batsman knew he wouldn’t be required after discussions with Hesson and Larsen, who instead named him in the New Zealand XI to play South Africa in tomorrow’s warmup T20 in Auckland. Munro, Corey Anderson and Tom Bruce each played one blistering T20 knock against Bangladesh and the latter, particularly, demanded retention after a 79-ball century for the Stags against Sodhi and company.
Opener Martin Guptill (hamstring) will miss tomorrow’s game as a precaution, while fast bowler Adam Milne returns from a long injury layoff but won’t be considered for the latter ODIS.
Auckland T20 stars Glenn Phillips and Mark Chapman will face South Africa on Tuesday along with young seamers Zak Gibson (ND) and Henry Shipley (Canterbury). Larsen confirmed Wellington and Central Stags players from, Wednesday’s Ford Trophy semifinal weren’t considered.