Kane Williamson unavailable as New Zealand name squad for Zimbabwe Tests
"Kane and Michael were up front with New Zealand Cricket about their availability for this tour during the contracting process," said head coach Rob Walter, who has named his first Test squad since taking over from Gary Stead last month."While all Test matches are hugely special and important, the fact these Tests aren't part of the World Test Championship did influence the discussions on this occasion. We will obviously miss their talent and class, but it allows an opportunity to others and we're lucky to be able to call on the likes of Ajaz [Patel] and Henry [Nicholls], who are both proven performers at Test level."Fast bowler Ben Sears is also unavailable due to a side strain, while Kyle Jamieson has opted to remain in New Zealand for the birth of his first child.Their absences open the door for fresh faces. Uncapped quick Matt Fisher earns his maiden Test call-up, and Jacob Duffy - who has represented New Zealand in white-ball formats - could be in line for a long-format debut."Matt's someone we're really excited about," Walter said. "He's one of the fastest bowlers in the country and we think he's got an X-factor. We're blessed to have a large number of strong fast bowlers in this country and we're looking forward to adding Matt into that mix now, giving him a little bit of touring experience and a taste of what it means to be part of the Black Caps."Left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel and middle-order batter Henry Nicholls return to the squad, providing experience alongside a core of established players and emerging talent.New Zealand Test squad: Tom Latham (capt), Tom Blundell (wk), Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Matt Fisher, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Will O'Rourke, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Nathan Smith, Will Young- EndsYou May Also Like
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