Tom Latham and Andrew Ellis have edged closer to making their New Zealand debuts after being named in the Black Caps 12-man squad to play Zimbabwe in Dunedin tomorrow.
Leg-spinner Tarun Nethula and left-armer Michael Bates have missed selection for the match but coach John Wright has said all 14 players in the expanded squad will feature at some stage in the three-game series, and they are good bets to play in the second one-dayer in Whangarei on Waitangi Day.
Dean Brownlie is in line to make his one-day international debut. He has already played four tests and two Twenty20 internationals for New Zealand.
Latham, son of former international Rod Latham, has been pencilled in to bat at No 4 with Rob Nicol and Martin Guptill to open the batting as they did in the last series against Zimbabwe in October.
New Zealand squad: Brendon McCullum (c), Martin Guptill, Rob Nicol, Kane Williamson, Tom Latham, Dean Brownlie, Andrew Ellis, Nathan McCullum, Doug Bracewell, Jacob Oram, Kyle Mills, Tim Southee.
