New Zealand announce ODI squad for tour of England; Trent Boult and Kyle Jamieson return for World Cup preparations
New Zealand Cricket has announced a 15-man squad for the upcoming four-match ODI series against England away from home, which kickstarts their build-up to the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Left-arm pacer Trent Boult, who is not a centrally contracted cricketer anymore, returns to the national side after a lengthy absence. His last international fixture came during the T20 World Cup in November 2022, while the upcoming England series marks his first ODI venture since September 2022.
Boult has been partaking in multiple T20 franchise leagues including the Big Bash League (BBL), the International T20 League (ILT20), the Indian Premier League (IPL), and most recently, the Major League Cricket (MLC). His inclusion in the Blackcaps squads is a solid indication that he will partake in the 2023 ODI World Cup as well.
Another prominent return in the squad comes in the form of Kyle Jamieson. The all-rounder sustained a back injury that required surgery, hence ruling him out of the home series against England in March 2023 as well as the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
New Zealand head coach Gary Stead spoke about Jamieson's return.
“He’s been working extremely hard on his rehabilitation following back surgery and we’re looking forward to seeing him back playing on the international stage," he told reporters.
Kane Williamson and Michael Bracewell were unavailable for selection due to their respective injuries. Bracewell is likely to be ruled out of the World Cup as well following an Achilles injury. Williamson, on the other hand, is making great strides towards full fitness and is currently practicing with the team to make a return in time for the World Cup.
In Williamson's absence, Tom Latham will lead the team. He will almost have a full-strength squad but without the likes of Jimmy Neesham and Mark Chapman. The duo will miss the series as they expect the birth of their first-born children.
New Zealand ODI squad for the series against England
Tom Latham (c), Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Rachin Ravindra, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Adam Milne, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult
New Zealand's white-ball tour of England will comprise of four T20Is and four ODIs. The T20I series is scheduled to begin on August 30 while the 50-over contests will begin from September 8 onwards.
Sophia Gardens, the Rose Bowl, the Oval, and the Lord's have been chosen to host the ODIs.