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**Official* West Indies in New Zealand 2025

Fuller Pilch

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Top 6 will be the incumbents, I would lean towards Hay over Blundell but don't think we'll do that.

For the bowlers if fit then Henry, Jamieson and Phillips are a lock imo. Then two out of Smith, Santner and Duffy. I may have taken leave of my senses but I feel like Santner is on a roll and we should persist with him. Makes even less sense when it's early season and we already have Phillips and Rachin's spin. Shrug.

Probs give Smith the last seamer spot and then Duffy can slot in for someone with a niggle in the second test.
If Phillips is fit and playing he should bat 6 regardless of who the keeper is. I expect Foulkes will play if 4 seamers are picked in the XI.
 

RMBolton

U19 Captain
Top 6 will be the incumbents, I would lean towards Hay over Blundell but don't think we'll do that.

For the bowlers if fit then Henry, Jamieson and Phillips are a lock imo. Then two out of Smith, Santner and Duffy. I may have taken leave of my senses but I feel like Santner is on a roll and we should persist with him. Makes even less sense when it's early season and we already have Phillips and Rachin's spin. Shrug.

Probs give Smith the last seamer spot and then Duffy can slot in for someone with a niggle in the second test.
I'm OK with Santner at the Basin & Bay Oval. Not Hagley, though. Early December at the spinner's graveyard - any spin needs will be filled by Phillips & Ravindra.
 

straw man

Hall of Fame Member
Yeah fair point, we could give Santner, Smith and Duffy two tests each, conditions-dependent, and be pretty well served.

Though I'm not confident Jamieson could play all three either, so that's an extra spot.
 

Skyliner

International Debutant
Santner played in both tests in Zimbabwe and was captain in the absence of Latham. Prior to that he was man of the match in the 3rd test against England at Hamilton. If incumbency means anything these days then it certainly makes the selection mix more intriguing.
 

Mike5181

International Captain
They just won't select Phillips for the first test. They can pass it off as fitness-related to give him more time and so they can have something tangible to select the second test XI from. Plus, the extra bowler allows you to play Jamieson on a lighter workload, and all the bowlers can bat a bit so it's not a weak tail.

1. Tom Latham
2. Devon Conway
3. Kane Williamson
4. Rachin Ravindra
5. Daryl Mitchell
6. Tom Blundell+
7. Mitchell Santner
8. Nathan Smith
9. Zakary Foulkes
10. Kyle Jamieson
11. Matt Henry

12. Glenn Phillips
13. Jacob Duffy
14. Mitch Hay
15. Rhys Mariu
 

Skyliner

International Debutant
They just won't select Phillips for the first test. They can pass it off as fitness-related to give him more time and so they can have something tangible to select the second test XI from. Plus, the extra bowler allows you to play Jamieson on a lighter workload, and all the bowlers can bat a bit so it's not a weak tail.

1. Tom Latham
2. Devon Conway
3. Kane Williamson
4. Rachin Ravindra
5. Daryl Mitchell
6. Tom Blundell+
7. Mitchell Santner
8. Nathan Smith
9. Zakary Foulkes
10. Kyle Jamieson
11. Matt Henry

12. Glenn Phillips
13. Jacob Duffy
14. Mitch Hay
15. Rhys Mariu
That looks about right. They will keep chugging along with the incumbents and only make changes when absolutely necessary. Blundell bought himself more time with his hundred in the third test against the Poms and Conway scored runs in Zimbabwe and has looked to be back into some reasonable form in the white ball matches at home.
The only question I’d have would be whether they select Duffy over Smith (or perhaps Foulkes although his stock seems to be really on the rise), though Duffy wasn’t overly impressive in Zimbabwe.
 

RMBolton

U19 Captain
About the biggest surprise from the Test squad announcement was Bracewell & Tickner. I didn't really expect Blundell to be dropped, & with Conway looking up again I didn't expect Mariu in.

Also, using Vivaldi reminds me of the old National Bank ads.
 

Skyliner

International Debutant
Black Caps squad: Tom Latham (c), Tom Blundell, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Nathan Smith, Blair Tickner, Kane Williamson, Will Young

'The Black Caps will be without Kyle Jamieson and Glenn Phillips, both of whom still need to complete return-to-play plans in red-ball cricket.'
 

Skyliner

International Debutant
One positive of naming a squad just for the first test is that it puts the acid of the playing XI to perform.


'Jamieson has been back playing white-ball internationals since February, including all three of the one-dayers against the West Indies earlier this month, where he claimed player of the series honours, but he was a notable omission from the 14-man squad named for the first test on Tuesday.
Coach Rob Walter said it was a case of carefully increasing his bowling loads and one reason why they had only named a squad for the first test was to give him the chance to be involved later in the series, after playing in the Plunket Shield for the Canterbury.'

'Spin-bowling all-rounder Glenn Phillips is also in contention to be involved later in the series, having played his first match in any format since July for Otago in the first round of the Plunket Shield last week.'
 

Skyliner

International Debutant
You love to hear it from Rob Walter -

“From a long-term point of view, Kyle's massively important to us, so we won't do anything or make any decision to jeopardize the long-term plan of his involvement of the team.”
 

Howsie

Cricketer Of The Year
So this new coach is just Stead 2.0 huh

Is there a test playing nation Mitch Hay wouldn’t get selected for? 2000 odd runs @ 49 and this putz is like ‘nah we’re good thanks’ We’ll stick with the dud on his last legs that hasn’t batted nor kept well for well over two years.

Haven’t watched a ball this summer won’t watch a ball bar when Williamson is at the crease for the rest of it.
 

Skyliner

International Debutant
The first test represents the last chance saloon for Blundell.

No Henry Nicholls in this squad.
 

ataraxia

International Coach
A bit silly that Phillips plays as Otago's #5 batter and premier spinner in an FC match two and a half weeks before the first test, yet he's not ready to return. I get it's Hagley, but he's still a (slightly) better option than Santner.

Good chance for Duffy, Smith, and Foulkes to duke it out. At full strength none of them make it in to the team. Must be demoralising for all the FC trundlers and not-so-trundlers who could take a bag on the right Hagley wicket for Tickner to be preferred.

It goes without saying that not selecting Mariu and especially Hay is repulsive.
 

straw man

Hall of Fame Member
'Repulsive' for not selecting Mariu is a bit ott, but agree with the rest. Mike is probably right that Phillips could easily play the first test, but they decided to solve the spin-allrounder selection dilemma by resting him a little longer.

But mainly, no Jamieson is :cry:. Please oh please let him return to test cricket second test (without breaking again, of course).
 
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ataraxia

International Coach
Mariu averages 60 over a good sample size where no other opener averages 40 (except Heaphy). Both incumbent openers have been mediocre over the past 2–3 years. There are certainly mitigating factors, but when's the last time a NZ youngster averaged 50 over his first 20 FC matches, let alone 60 as opener?
 

Skyliner

International Debutant
You only have to look at the way Southee was painstakingly eased out the door accompanied by an exaggerated process of fawning and veneration to understand that players who are part of the 'old firm' - the established clique - won't go quietly into that good night. I'd say Walter is aware of the politics and the pecking order and doesn't want to lose the dressing room by wielding the axe with undue haste. Yes it's frustrating but it's a case of "Forget it, Jake. It's NZC town".
 

straw man

Hall of Fame Member
I'd still pick Young as batting reserve over Mariu, even in bad form. Wouldn't leave out Conway or Latham right now. I *guess* you could name Mariu over Bracewell in the squad, as i don't see Bracewell playing in any circumstance, though I'm not sure that would serve much purpose either.

Though that's all secondary, the main story is our reluctance to move on new wicketkeeper.
 

NZTailender

I can't believe I ate the whole thing
A bit silly that Phillips plays as Otago's #5 batter and premier spinner in an FC match two and a half weeks before the first test, yet he's not ready to return. I get it's Hagley, but he's still a (slightly) better option than Santner.
487fa755-20f0-4ffe-8550-c4bd847bf0dd_text.gif
What about Ajaz Patel? I'm not hearing his name in here anywhere
 

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