Central Stags DANE CLEAVER and JOSH CLARKSON will be in action against India A this Friday and Sunday after having been named in the New Zealand XI to play two one-dayers against the shadow India side.

Cleaver will take the wicketkeeping gloves at Lincoln's Bert Sutcliffe Oval in a squad selected from players not playing in Dream11 Super Smash playoffs, after the Stags finished just two points out of the running in fourth.

Selectors have yet to name the imminent New Zealand A squad to play India A, and the full BLACKCAPS T20, ODI and Test squads to play India in the big home series that starts with the T20is on Friday 24 January.

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It's the second season keeper-batsman Cleaver has captured the attention of the national selectors, having been called up for the New Zealand A squad on tour in UAE last summer, and playing one first-class match against Pakistan A.

The experienced 28-year-old has made a big impact at the top of the order for the Stags, and is coming off his most prolific T20 season yet, his 278 runs at a strike rate of almost 140 including a career-best 81 to go with 11 dismissals with the gloves.

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In this summer's one-day Ford Trophy that will resume in the next fortnight, Cleaver is averaging 53.60 with the bat after 268 runs from just five innings, including a century and one half-century.

Clarkson's promise as one of the biggest young hitters in the game is meanwhile hard to ignore.

 

 

Coming off 212 Super Smash runs at a 132 SR, including 12 sixes and eight fours, , the powerful 22-year-old is continuing to show temperament as well as undeniable six-hitting ability at the crease.

The NZXI will be up against an India A side stacked with no fewer than 10 internationals, including Test players Mayank Agarwal (13th in the ICC Test batting rankings) and 20-year-old Prithvi Shaw who scored a century on debut for an 118.5 average after just two Tests.

New Zealand selector Gavin Larsen said the NZ XI had an exciting couple of days in store.

“It’s a great opportunity for our guys, many of whom are at different stages of their careers.

"India A is full of international experience and we know how tough it is to make that senior team so we're under no illusions about the challenge ahead.

“Coach John Bracewell and myself are looking forward to seeing how the players respond, and who stands up."

New Zealand XI to play India A

Daryl Mitchell (c)

Finn Allen

Jakob Bhula

Jack Boyle

Katene Clarke

JOSH CLARKSON

DANE CLEAVER (w)

Zak Gibson

Andrew Hazeldine

Henry Shipley

Sean Solia (Auckland Aces)

Theo van Woerkom

India A

Shubman Gill (c)

Mayank Agarwal

Khaleel Ahmed

Rahul Chahar

Ruturaj Gaikwad

Ishan Kishan (w)

Krunal Pandya

Axar Patel

Ishan Porel

Sanju Samson

Vijay Shankar

Prithvi Shaw

Mohammed Siraj

Sandeep Warrier

Suryakumar Yadav

Article added: Wednesday 15 January 2020