Milne returns to Black Caps for Champions Trophy
As far as Mike Hesson cerned, Adam Milne is worth taking.
Along with fellow fast bowler Mitchell McClenaghan and allrounder Corey Anderson, Milne was recalled when the New Zealand one-day squad for the Champions Trophy was named yesterday.
The 25-year-old quick was included in the 15-man group for the June tournament in England after an injury-plagued 2016.
Capable of bowling at more than 145kmh, Milne tore his hamstring one match into last year’s Indian Premier League and had elbow surgery a few months later.
He returned to competitive cricket last month in the final three Plunket Shield matches for Central Districts, before heading for the lPL where has played two of seven matches for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Hesson was more than comfortable Milne was ready to for his international return, having not featured since the Twenty20 World Cup in March last year. is cona risk New Zealand squad for Champions Trophy: Kane Williamson (c), Corey Anderson, Trent Boult, Neil Broom, Colin de Grandhomme, Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Mitchell McClenaghan, Adam Milne, Jimmy Neesham, Jeetan Patel, Luke Ronchi, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor.
‘‘We had hoped to have him back for the South African [oneday] series, he just wasn’t quite ready,’’ Hesson said.
‘‘Luckily he was able to get through some really good overs for CD. He was fine by the time he headed to the IPL and has continued his progress, what we’ve seen we’ve liked.
‘‘We are aware when you’re trying to bowl fast you’re prone to injury but that is a risk you take, he has worked incredibly hard to get back.’’
Aside from out-and-out pace, Milne’s ability to open the bowling or bowl first change and his skills in the middle and death overs were a big selling point for Hesson and co-selector Gavin Larsen.
Those same attributes were front of mind with McClenaghan, who also hasn’t played for New Zealand since last year’s T20 World Cup.
The burly Auckland left-armer injured his pelvis playing T20 cricket for English county side Essex after that, then picked up an ankle issue.
But he had bowled plenty of overs for Auckland during the summer and has showed promising signs in the IPL, playing all seven games for Mumbai and taking 12 wickets in the process.
Hesson said McClenaghan was back to ‘‘pretty close to his best’’ and while perhaps not quite so glowing in his praise, expressed similar optimism about what Anderson could contribute.
Since returning home from the 2015 tour of England with a back injury, Anderson’s appearances at international level have been as a specialist batsman, including three T20s against Bangladesh in January and the lone T20 against South Africa.
But he had returned to the bowling crease for Northern Districts’ last three Plunket Shield matches last month and bowled in all three matches he had played in the IPL for Delhi.
‘‘It’s going to be a continual progress with Corey and his bowling but we needed to know he was a bowling option,’’ Hesson said, confirming Anderson had edged out Colin Munro as the third seambowling all-rounder.
‘‘It’s something we’ve been working hard on over the last few months. He’s not a 10-over man at the moment but we’re confident he is very much a bowling option. He’s getting more confident the more he bowls but we can’t push too hard.
‘‘He adds a lot of good qualities with big tournament experience and having him pushing for that spot around six or seven with James [Neesham] and Colin [de Grandhomme] gives us good options.’’
The remainder of the squad was largely as expected, with veteran spinner Jeetan Patel retained and opening batsman Tom Latham a wicketkeeping option alongside Luke Ronchi.
New Zealand play a four-match tri-series with hosts Ireland and Bangladesh from May 14-24, those involved with the IPL coming back into the fold as their teams are knocked out of the tournament.
Hesson confirmed a small group of players, ‘‘predominantly bowlers’’, from the squad for the tri-series were likely to remain in England as Champions Trophy cover.
New Zealand will play warmup matches against India on May 28 in London and Sri Lanka on May 30 in Birmingham, before their opening match of the Champions Trophy against Australia at Edgbaston on June 2.