Source: Radio New Zealand
South Africa’s captain Aiden Markram (L) and David Miller (R) with New Zealand’s Lockie Ferguson at the T20 World Cup. AFP
After nearly three months in the subcontinent, the Black Caps are finally headed home, albeit without the trophy they wanted, and staring down one last challenge before they part ways.
A five-match T20 series against South Africa, starting on Sunday, will cap off the home summer.
The series comes less than a week after the T20 World Cup final loss against India in India. And two months after their first ever one-day series win in India.
The cricket calendar can be relentless and Black Caps coach Rob Walter had that in mind when the team for the South Africa series, which begins in Mt Maunganui, was selected.
Eight players from the World Cup squad – captain Mitch Santner, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Kyle Jamieson, Cole McConchie, Jimmy Neesham, Ben Sears and Ish Sodhi – will play at least some part in the series.
“Primarily, we want to find a nice balance now between giving guys off, it was a pretty intense nine weeks to be fair in India and Sri Lanka, and obviously stepping straight into a five-match series in a couple of days’ time,” Walter said.
“So, sort of managing the guys who are going to PSL (Pakistan Super League), going to IPL (Indian Premier League), with guys who didn’t have much game time in the actual World Cup itself and working hard to get that balance right.
“That’s the nature of the beast right now in international cricket and understanding we also have to take care of our players
“Those guys left everything out there from a World Cup point of view.”
Walter said he was in “constant communication” with the playing group to gauge their readiness to continue into another series.
“You still need to be in a mental space to put your best foot forward for your country when you’re competing.
“But we have a fairly decent showing of our World Cup squad in the series, which is great, and there’s a lot of keenness from the players’ point of view to actually play, which is awesome, given that it’s been a pretty hectic little while.”
Ishan Kishan of India celebrates his fifty runs ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Grand Final. www.photosport.nz
Selector Gavin Larsen said they had to be “pragmatic” in selecting the squad.
“We’re lucky to have strong depth across the different skill sets, which has afforded us the opportunity to rest a few players and introduce some others,” Larsen said.
“That provides an excellent opportunity for many to stake their claim for regular inclusion in the T20 team moving forward as we begin a new World Cup cycle.
“It’s been a busy couple of months for those on the road and with the South Africa series ahead, a tour to Bangladesh in April-May during the IPL and PSL windows, alongside a New Zealand A tour to Sri Lanka and followed by winter tours to England and West Indies – keeping our players fit and fresh in the short and the long term is our top priority.”
Those who would be taking a break after the World Cup to manage workloads or family life were: Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert and Matt Henry.
Top order batters Katene Clarke and Nick Kelly are in line to make their T20 debuts during the series, as is Central Districts spinner Jayden Lennox.
Clarke’s maiden Black Caps call-up follows a break-out Super Smash season where the 26-year-old topped the competition run-scoring charts with 431 runs, including an unbeaten century, as his Northern Brave side claimed the T20 domestic title.
Katene Clarke of the Northern Brave. Photosport
“Katene is someone we’ve been keeping an eye on for a while now and so it was great to see him shoot the lights out in the Super Smash and force his way into his first Black Caps squad,” Larsen said.
“He’s an explosive player who possesses plenty of power and a variety of shots. He’s shown destructive ability inside the power play, but also crucially the ability to bat deep in an innings too.”
Lennox’s first inclusion in a Black Caps T20 squad follows his successful ODI debut series against India in January where he claimed 3-84 from his 20 overs against the formidable home batting line-up.
Kelly’s been a consistent performer for the Wellington Firebirds across the formats in recent years and earns his maiden T20 call-up off the back of his ODI debut series against Pakistan at home last April.
Josh Clarkson, Zak Foulkes, Bevon Jacobs and Tim Robinson get their chance to impress after being selected for the full five-game series, with Clarkson back in the side for the first time since playing eight T20Is in 2024.
Tom Latham, who was the top run-scorer for the Canterbury Kings in the Super Smash, makes his return to the national T20 set-up as a wicket-keeper-batsman and will also take over the captaincy reigns from Santner for the final two matches.
With Conway departing after three matches, Central Stags gloveman Dane Cleaver will join the squad for the end of the series, having last played for New Zealand in 2023.
South Africa arrived in New Zealand with three players from their World Cup squad that was knocked out of the tournament by the Black Caps.
None of their players with IPL contracts will travel to Aotearoa.
Walter, a former South Africa coach, knows the Proteas team that does come will still provide a challenge.
“The depth in South Africa has always been strong. Obviously, the SA20 competition has developed a lot of younger players in South Africa, so from that point of view, they have a pretty good team,” Walter said.
“Most of them have played international cricket, or have done very well domestically so it’ll be a good challenge.”
Black Caps T20 squad v South Africa
- Mitchell Santner (c) (matches 1-3)
- Katene Clarke* (4-5)
- Josh Clarkson
- Dane Cleaver (wk) (4-5)
- Devon Conway (wk) (1-3)
- Lockie Ferguson (2-3)
- Zak Foulkes
- Bevon Jacobs
- Kyle Jamieson
- Nick Kelly*
- Tom Latham (wk) (c – 4-5)
- Jayden Lennox* (4-5)
- Cole McConchie
- Jimmy Neesham
- Tim Robinson
- Ben Sears
- Nathan Smith
- Ish Sodhi
*Potential T20I debut
Michael Bracewell (calf), Adam Milne (ankle), Will O’Rourke (back) and Blair Tickner (ankle) were not considered for the series due to injury.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
