BLACKCAPS squad named for Twenty20 match in Sydney

New Zealand Cricket has announced a squad of 13 for the Twenty20 International match against Australia in Sydney on Sunday [15 February]. The squad is:

Daniel Vettori (Captain)
Neil Broom
Ian Butler
Grant Elliott
James Franklin
Martin Guptill
Brendon McCullum
Nathan McCullum
Peter McGlashan
Kyle Mills
Iain O’Brien
Tim Southee
Ross Taylor

Four of the squad – Butler (Otago), Franklin (Wellington), Nathan McCullum (Otago) and McGlashan (Northern Districts) – join the squad for the first time on the current Australian tour. All four have previous Twenty20 or One Day International experience with the BLACKCAPS.

Head of the selection panel, Glenn Turner, said selectors had opted to bring in multi-skilled players, well suited to the Twenty20 game format.

“James Franklin has been scoring very well in the State Twenty20 competition – and at a very good strike rate. He comes in primarily as a batting all-rounder. Ian Butler will play as a bowling all-rounder with his brisk medium pace, and an ability to hit big at the death.

“Nathan McCullum has also been in good form and is a valuable all rounder. He is well suited to this form of the game with his off-spin and aggressive batting. Peter McGlashan is a good improviser with the bat in the middle order, and also gives us cover for Brendon McCullum as wicketkeeper.”

With the One Day International series against Australia finishing on Friday in Brisbane, current squad members Trent Boult, Craig Cumming, Brendon Diamanti, Peter Fulton, Gareth Hopkins and Jeetan Patel will return to New Zealand on Saturday.