KEY POINTS:
A desire to demonstrate that New Zealand selection is not a closed shop helped Central Districts allrounder Ewen Thompson get his chance against the West Indies next week.
Thompson, a tidy left-arm swing bowler and handy lower-order batsman, was the surprise pick in the squad of 13 named for the two Twenty20 internationals, at Eden Park on Boxing Day and Hamilton's Seddon Park on December 28.
Two other players join the squad, Scott Styris and Tim Southee, with the three dropping out from the current test team being openers Tim McIntosh and Jamie How and medium-pacer Iain O'Brien.
Selection panel manager Glenn Turner said 29-year-old Thompson's domestic numbers were impressive and he deserved a chance.
He has taken 16 wickets at 17 apiece with an economy rate of 6.97, which in the game where bowlers are permanently under the hammer is very useful.
"Next to Dan [captain Vettori] he's the most successful player in that form of the game," Turner said yesterday.
"He swings it and he's one of those guys who doesn't 'arrive' so you can get through your shot.
"He's always at you, he's hard to score from and he can give it a whack at the death."
Turner said it was important that provincial players who might see the national side as being beyond them should know that wasn't the case.
Home series provided a chance to give players an opportunity and Turner said that was a policy the selectors - who also include former test players John Wright and Dion Nash - intended to pursue.
"Ewen is an example of that. He's one of those guys who lives for the game and works hard at it.
"When you look at the preparation players are putting in, if it's a toss-up, you'd sooner give the nod to guys like that who have the right attitude."
Jacob Oram has been selected as a specialist batsman.
His Twenty20 bowling statistics are ordinary, despite being a quality operator in the 50-over version of international cricket.
Swing bowler Southee is back after being unwanted for the two tests against the West Indies. How, sorely in need of runs, misses out as the selectors believe other batsmen are more suited to the shortest version of the game.
New Zealand squad for two Twenty20 internationals against the West Indies:
Daniel Vettori (c), Brendon McCullum, Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor, Scott Styris, Daniel Flynn, Jacob Oram, James Franklin, Ewen Thompson, Tim Southee, Kyle Mills, Jeetan Patel, Mark Gillespie.Ewen Thompson's promotion shows selections not a closed shop: TurnerBACK IN: Scott Styris is one of three players rejoining the Black Caps squad for the Twenty20 matches.
