Five CENTRAL STAGS players are in the frame to test themselves against Sri Lanka.

WILL YOUNG and BLAIR TICKNER - fresh off his Test debut in the exciting squared Series against England, have both been retained in the BLACKCAPS' unchanged Test squad, while JACK BOYLE has been named to captain a New Zealand XI that will warm Sri Lanka up with a red-ball two-dayer for the summer's next home Test and white-ball series.

BAYLEY WIGGINS and MA'ARA AVE join Boyle in a NZ XI squad that is assembled from Major Association players not required for Plunket Shield duties over the same period by their Domestic teams.

The rest of the Stags are getting ready to head to Mt Maunganui to play Northern Districts from Sunday, Young and Tickner unavailable due to their retention in the Test squad.

The well performed Sri Lanka squad, with ICC World Test Championship title ambitions, will meanwhile come up against the youthful New Zealand XI at Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln, Canterbury from this Saturday, ahead of the two Tests, three ODIs and three T20s against the BLACKCAPS that starts from Thursday next week at Hagley Oval

Bayley Wiggins scored a century on his first-class debut | PHOTOSPORT

The NZC selectors have named a NZ XI squad including eight players between age 19 and 25, the youngest of whom is 19-year-old Otago Volts rep Jacob Cumming.

BLACKCAPS selector Gavin Larsen said the NZ XI matches continue to be an exciting opportunity for emerging talent.

Ma'ara Ave played for the NZXI v Bangladesh | PHOTOSPORT

“Having the opportunity to play against quality international sides is not an experience that comes along every day, and our players really look forward to it,” said Larsen.

“With the second half of the Plunket Shield competition starting this week, it opens up the space for promising youngsters to test themselves and develop their game.” 

Jack Boyle made his Stags debut this season | PHOTOSPORT

Boyle is joined in the squad by his younger brother Matt, who represents Canterbury and the squad assembled in Lincoln on Thursday, under head coaches Paul Wiseman and Bob Carter.

Both days of the warm-up match will be livestreamed on NZC YouTube and nzc.nz, with livescoring available on the NZC app.

The Sri Lanka BLACKCAPS series will be streamed live in New Zealand on Spark Sport, and broadcast on TodayFM, and via the Rova radio app.

NEW ZEALAND XI v Sri Lanka

Jack Boyle (captain, Central Stags)

Ma’ara Ave (Central Stags)

Matt Bacon (Otago Volts)

Jakob Bhula (Wellington Firebirds)

Matt Boyle (Canterbury)

Blake Coburn (Canterbury)

Jacob Cumming (Otago Volts)

Sean Davey (Canterbury)

James Hartshorn (Wellington Firebirds)

Tim Robinson (Wellington Firebirds)

Ross ter Braak (Auckland Aces)

Bayley Wiggins (Central Stags)

Theo van Woerkom (Canterbury)

Jack's brother Matt Boyle | MBUTCHER

Article added: Friday 03 March 2023