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A mix of ideas went into the make-up of an intriguing New Zealand A squad for the first of two four-day fixtures against England A at Queenstown starting this weekend.
Test opener Jamie How leads a side including two others with test experience - opener Tim McIntosh and allrounder James Franklin. There are also a clutch of others picked either as reward for strong domestic form, their talent or because the national selectors want to see what players can offer at a higher level. Four openers are included; McIntosh, How, Central Districts' Peter Ingram and BJ Watling from Northern Districts.
Likewise there are three left-arm, fast-medium bowlers in the 12 - Franklin, Trent Boult and surprise pick Mitchell McClenaghan of Central Districts.
Selection manager Glenn Turner said last night little should be read into the opening or left-arm bowling stockpile.
The choice of the three left-armers was not so much through a concern at where the next left-arm test candidate might come from as a desire to see three players who all happened to bowl with that arm.
"It is helpful to have a left-armer," Turner said. "It's a bit like the left-right hand situation with opening batsmen. If it works out that way, it's a bonus."
Ingram is a classic example of a player who has done well at domestic level - averaging 64 in the championship - and who, at 30, has a chance to show whether he can make runs at a higher level. So too new ball bowler Brent Arnel, also 30, and one of five ND players in the 12. His 17 wickets at 20.7 were a big contributor to ND winning the State Shield title.
Williamson has clearly caught important eyes this season. The New Zealand under-19 captain is a cut above the merely promising category as a batsman.
The itinerary is completed by two one-day games at Palmerston North on March 13 and 16, and a Twenty20 match at New Plymouth on March 19.
