Cricket: New names in Black Caps as IPL robs home fans of seeing stars in action

Key Black Caps Kane Williamson, Tim Southee, Devon Conway and Mitchell Santner will miss the Sri Lanka ODI series to play in the Indian Premier League with a number of players to join them midway through the three ODIs.

Tom Latham will lead an ODI squad against Sri Lanka featuring two potential debutants for the Black Caps in the format but home fans could feel robbed of seeing the stars of the team, especially in Christchurch and Hamilton for the final two matches of the series.

The IPL begins on March 31, six days after the opening match against Sri Lanka at Eden Park.

After a summer with a big block in December and January without any cricket on home soil, it could be seen as a blow for New Zealand cricket fans.

The squad for the three match ODI Series will assemble in two phases with the first group featuring players also participating in the Indian Premier League.

ODI Squad regulars Williamson (Gujarat Titans), Southee (Kolkata Knight Riders) and Conway (Chennai Super Kings) will be released early to the IPL after participating in the ongoing test series against Sri Lanka, as will Santner (Chennai Super Kings) at the request of his franchise.

Following the first ODI at Eden Park on March 25, Finn Allen (Royal Challengers Bangalore), Lockie Ferguson (Kolkata Knight Riders) and Glenn Phillips (Sunrisers Hyderabad) will leave the squad and travel to India.

The departure of those players will see Mark Chapman, Ben Lister and Henry Nicholls join up with the squad ahead of the second ODI at Hagley Oval.

Canterbury’s Chad Bowes and Auckland Ace Ben Lister are the two uncapped players in the ODI squad to face Sri Lanka. Lister is fresh off his T20I debut for New Zealand in India last month while Bowes has earned his first selection in a Black Caps squad.

Bowes is Canterbury’s leading white ball run scorer this season with 373* List A runs at 46.63 and 359 T20 runs at 39.89.

Another feature of the squad is the return of Tom Blundell and Will Young to international white ball cricket.

Black Caps coach Gary Stead said the series against Sri Lanka presents a big opportunity for a range of players.

“It’s always exciting as a coach to have new players in the environment and to have players putting their hands up to be selected again in a particular format.

“Chad has been impressive for a number of seasons at the top of the order for Canterbury as well as being an excellent fielder.

“We are set to play 16 white ball matches between now and the start of May so there will be a number of chances for players to test themselves in familiar and unfamiliar conditions.

“Tom Blundell, in particular, is someone who we’ve been hugely impressed by in international cricket over the past 18 months as a leader in the Test team and then domestically with the Wellington Firebirds.

“It’s an exciting opportunity for Tom ahead of a big year of white ball cricket.”

Stead said Lister’s selection was testament to his determination to recover from illness and injury.

“Ben’s had a challenging time in the past six to seven months but he’s back fit again and we are really excited by the point of difference he brings to the bowling group.”

ODI Squad to face Sri Lanka

Tom Latham (c)

Finn Allen (ODI 1)

Tom Blundell

Chad Bowes*

Michael Bracewell

Mark Chapman (ODI 2 & 3)

Lockie Ferguson (ODI 1)

Matt Henry

Ben Lister* (ODI 2 & 3)

Daryl Mitchell

Henry Nicholls (ODI 2 & 3)

Glenn Phillips (ODI 1)

Henry Shipley

Ish Sodhi

Blair Tickner

Will Young

*Potential debut