Source: Radio New Zealand
Shoriful Islam of Bangladesh celebrates the wicket of Glenn Phillips, 2023. Aaron Gillions / Photosport
Black Caps coach Rob Walter says it is fortunate that there are so many New Zealand cricketers experiencing conditions in Asia.
Walter’s side has arrived in Bangladesh for a white ball series that includes three ODI’s and three T20 internationals.
New Zealand A is currently in Sri Lanka playing limited overs and four day games, while there are 18 Kiwi players involved in the Indian Premier League and the Pakistan Super League.
Walter said having so many players experiencing sub-continent conditions is great.
“We have 54 cricketers right now playing in different parts of the world and that is just under half of our contracted players in the country so for us it is a massive positive.
“We’re trying to make sure we strengthen our whole system and not just a small group of players. Ultimately we have to make sure we’re ready for whoever we compete against we have a number of cricketers who are internationally ready.
“It is a plus for us to expose our next in line cricketers to quality opposition in foreign conditions is a massive positive for us.”
Eight players with international experience were initially selected for the A tour of Sri Lanka: Muhammad Abbas, Adithya Ashok, Kristian Clarke, Mitch Hay, Ben Lister, Rhys Mariu, Ben Sears, and Tim Robinson. Sears has since left the group to play in the Pakistan Super League.
“You can’t buy experience, so you actually have to get out into the cauldron and actually play,” Walter said.
“Most importantly we keep learning.”
The tour of Bangladesh will mark the return of three pace bowlers from injury.
Will O’Rourke hasn’t played for New Zealand since the tour of Zimbabwe last July while Matt Fisher and Blair Tickner suffered injuries over the summer.
The first ODI against Bangladesh is in Mirpur on Friday.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
