The BLACKCAPS squad for the final two One Day Internationals against the West Indies has been announced today. The squad of 12 is:
Daniel Vettori (Captain)
Neil Broom
Grant Elliott
Daniel Flynn
Mark Gillespie
Martin Guptill
Brendon McCullum
Kyle Mills
Jeetan Patel
Jesse Ryder
Tim Southee
Ross Taylor
Auckland’s Martin Guptill, 22, earns his first BLACKCAPS call-up, replacing Jamie How. Head of the selection panel, Glenn Turner, said Guptill has been in consistent high-scoring form. “Martin really impressed on the tours to Australia and India last year with the Emerging Players and New Zealand A,” said Turner.
“He’s continued that form this summer – since coming back from injury at the start of the season he’s had a couple of great knocks including 124 off 97 balls for Auckland against ND, and 58 from 66 balls against Otago on Monday.”
Guptill is currently in fourth place in the MVP batting rankings for the State Shield one-day competition, averaging 41 with a strike rate of 103. The right-hand batsman was the highest scorer in the 2007/08 State Shield one-day competition, scoring 596 runs at an average of 59.6.
Turner said Jamie How will have the opportunity to return to domestic cricket, “and hopefully find the form we know he’s capable of.” All-rounder Jacob Oram was not considered for the squad due to injury.
The fourth ODI against the West Indies is at Auckland on Saturday 10 January, with the final in the series next Tuesday 13 January.
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