Cricket: Boult locks down New Zealand spot

Trent Boult. Photo / John Stone

Trent Boult has been rewarded for some good early season form with a call-up into the New Zealand cricket squad to face Australia in two tests next month.

The 22-year-old left-armer is the only uncapped player in the 13-man squad, although the selectors have given themselves another card to play with the possibility of adding another player. They will assess things after the warm-up game against Australia A at the end of the month as well as Plunket Shield form, leaving the door open for the likes of Kyle Mills, Andy McKay and James Franklin.

Boult picked up eight wickets in the first match against Auckland and chipped in with another two in Wellington's first innings of 162 when Tim Southee ripped through the Firebirds with figures of 7 for 37.

Southee predictably returns to the side after missing the tour to Zimbabwe, as does Jesse Ryder who missed the test with a calf injury.

Andy McKay and Jeetan Patel miss out from those who toured Zimbabwe and their cause won't have been helped by their inability to quell Kane Williamson and his Northern Districts side, who today (Wednesday) posted 608-9 declared in their first innings.

BJ Watling survives, although the batsman will remain in New Zealand until after the third round of the Plunket Shield before travelling to Australia. He will join the rest of the squad on day one of the game against Australia A after playing for Northern Districts against Otago.

"We were keen to show consistency in selection for the tour of Australia and retain the nucleus of the side that performed well against Zimbabwe,'' New Zealand Cricket national selector manager Kim Littlejohn said.

"In choosing our squad, we decided to go with 13 players and will consider adding another seamer before the first test. That will largely depend on how the players pull up after the warm-up match.

"It is pleasing to provide Trent with an opportunity. He is a promising young bowler and deserves his place in the squad after impressing at the NZC fast bowling camp during the winter and making a strong start to the Plunket Shield.

"We have decided to allow BJ Watling to play in the third round of Plunket Shield to give him maximum game time. We did not plan on selecting him for the warm-up match against Australia A and feel it is more beneficial to keep him playing cricket.

"The side for the first-class warm-up fixture against Australia A will be chosen from the remaining 12 players.''

Boult has been on the cusp of international selection for some time after he was called up into the New Zealand side for the 2009 Chappell-Hadlee series but didn't play Australia.

The 22-year-old earned a fulltime contract this season and is one of the quickest bowlers on the New Zealand scene. He will also provide variation with his left armers.

Canterbury quick Hamish Bennett wasn't considered as he recovers from a back injury.

New Zealand cricket squad for the upcoming tour of Australia: Ross Taylor (c), Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Dean Brownlie, Martin Guptill, Chris Martin, Brendon McCullum, Jesse Ryder, Tim Southee, Daniel Vettori, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson, Reece Young.