Four CENTRAL STAGS including our BLACKCAPS legend ROSS TAYLOR will feature for a New Zealand XI squad against The Netherlands in Napier next week.

Taylor's inclusion meanshe will get some game time ahead of his final One-Day International series later this month, after having been ruled out of the current Plunket Shield squad as a COVID-19 ‘household contact’.

All the warm-up matches will be played behind closed gates, but a free livestream means everyone will be able to watch online.

Taylor will play in the second one-day warm-up match, on March 19, as well as a one-off warm-up T20 on the evening of the 21st, ahead of the 25 March T20 International - also at Napier's McLean Park.

 

 

Taylor said he was excited to join the NZXI and grateful to get some game time ahead of his final Series for the BLACKCAPS.

“I’m looking forward to getting down to Napier and playing on one of my favourite grounds in McLean Park,” he said.

“It’s a great opportunity to get some time in the middle after missing the latest round of the Plunket Shield and it will also be useful to have a look at the touring team ahead of the ODI series.

ROSS TAYLOR | PHOTOSPORT

“I’m looking forward to sharing the dressing room with some new and younger faces who I hope I can help by passing on some knowledge.

“The Netherlands are an ever-improving side, and they’ll be relishing the chance to take on a Test-playing nation.

“They have a few familiar players from the New Zealand Domestic scene who I’m sure will be valuable to them in terms of understanding the conditions.

“We know they’ll play with plenty of pride and expect them to be a good challenge.”

Taylor’s inclusion headlines a strong mix of BLACKCAPS hopefuls and rising stars in the NZ XI squad which will be captained by Wellington Firebirds skipper Michael Bracewell.

DANE CLEAVER | PHOTOSPORT

NZC stated today that Bracewell, DANE CLEAVER and Ben Sears are very much contenders for the BLACKCAPS' white-ball squads to face The Netherlands, in light of the unavailability of 12 BLACKCAPS regulars who will leave for the IPL in the coming weeks.

Central Stags spinner JAYDEN LENNOX and allrounder JOSH CLARKSON will also play in the NZXI warm-up Series against the tourists.

NZC's Paul Wiseman will lead the coaching staff and will be supported by Auckland Aces pace bowling coach Azhar Abbas and former BLACKCAPS wicketkeeper turned Northern Districts network coach BJ Watling.

JAYDEN LENNOX | PHOTOSPORT

Watling has been working in the ND coaching network for the past couple of seasons and was head coach for ND A this season, as well as assisting the Northern Brave men during their recent Dream11 Super Smash campaign.

The New Zealand XI play the closed matches at McLean Park on March 17 and 19 followed by the T20 on March 21 – with all three matches live-streamed and scored at nzc.nz

JOSH CLARKSON | MBUTCHER

The BLACKCAPS then take on the Netherlands in a T20I on March 25 at McLean Park followed by three ODIs, at Mount Maunganui’s Bay Oval on March 29 and Hamilton’s Seddon Park on April 2 and 4.

The four Internationals on the Netherland KFC Tour of New Zealand will be broadcast live in New Zealand on Spark Sport, Magic Talk Radio and Rova, with scoring at nzc.nz

New Zealand XI v NETHERLANDS

ROSS TAYLOR - Central Stags - games two and three only

JOSH CLARKSON - Central Stags

DANE CLEAVER - wicketkeeper, Central Stags

JAYDEN LENNOX - Central Stags

Michael Bracewell - captain, Wellington Firebirds

Matt Bacon - Otago Volts

Matt Boyle - Canterbury

James Hartshorn - Wellington Firebirds

Mitch Hay - Canterbury

Angus McKenzie - Otago Volts

Jock McKenzie - Auckland Aces

Tim Pringle - Northern Districts

Ben Sears - Wellington Firebirds

Jesse Tashkoff - Wellington Firebirds – game one only

NZ players in IPL 22

Kane Williamson, Finn Allen, Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Jimmy Neesham, ADAM MILNE, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Tim Southee

T20i TICKET SALES - BE QUICK

Article added: Friday 11 March 2022