Two Volts in strong NZ A side

Otago Daily Times

28-04-2025

Two Otago players feature in a Black Caps back-up brigade heading to Bangladesh later this week.
Nine players with international experience are included in a 15-strong New Zealand A squad for five games on the sub-continent.
Otago Volts player of the year Dale Phillips, accustomed to seeing brother Glenn skipping around the world with the Black Caps, will get a valuable opportunity to press his claims for higher honours.
Volts team-mate Dean Foxcroft will also be eager to impress both with the bat and as a spin bowling candidate.
The tour, comprising three white-ball and two four-day games across Sylhet and Dhaka, represents an opportunity to develop New Zealand's next level of men's talent and follows last year's home and away tours against Australia A.
Wellington captain and former Volts batter Nick Kelly, who made his Black Caps debut during the recent ODI series against Pakistan, will lead the team in the 50-over games, while Northern Districts batter Joe Carter will captain the side in the two four-day clashes.
Carter excelled in New Zealand A's last visit to the sub-continent, averaging 60 and scoring two first-class centuries, including a career-best 197 during the 2022 tour to India.
The batting unit includes recent Black Caps debutants Rhys Mariu and Muhammad Abbas, as well as Canterbury player of the year Matt Boyle and Central Stags Ford Trophy player of the year Curtis Heaphy.
Boyle, Phillips and Heaphy each amassed more than 1000 runs across the domestic season.
Canterbury wicketkeeper-batter Mitch Hay will embark on his third New Zealand A series, after featuring 17 times for the Black Caps since making his international debut against Sri Lanka in Dambulla in November.
The 24-year-old has proven his ability at the highest level with both bat and gloves and notched his highest international score, an unbeaten 99, in the second ODI against Pakistan at Seddon Park earlier this month.
Auckland left-arm fast bowler Ben Lister, who featured 15 times for the Black Caps across the 2023-24 season, returns from injury to spearhead a pace bowling unit including the rising Zak Foulkes and Kristian Clarke.
The pace bowling stock are further bolstered by allrounders Josh Clarkson and Abbas, who offers a left-arm seam option.
The spin bowling group will be led by Auckland Aces leg spinner Adi Ashok and Central Stags left-armer Jayden Lennox, who receives his maiden New Zealand A call-up, while Foxcroft also offers a handy right-arm off spin option.
The squad will be coached by Bob Carter with support from fellow New Zealand Cricket high performance coach Paul Wiseman and former Otago Volts assistant coach Ben McCord.
Carter said the squad was made up of a host of high-potential players.
"We're really looking forward to touring Bangladesh," Carter said.
"For several players, it will be their first time experiencing sub-continent conditions, which will be a great challenge and opportunity to further their skillsets."
The New Zealand A squad will leave Auckland on Thursday before their first 50-over game in Sylhet on Monday. New Zealand A
The squad
Muhammad Abbas (Wellington Firebirds), Adi Ashok (Auckland Aces), Matt Boyle (Canterbury), Joe Carter (Northern Districts, red-ball captain), Kristian Clarke (Northern Districts), Josh Clarkson (Central Stags), Zak Foulkes (Canterbury), Dean Foxcroft (Otago Volts), Mitch Hay (Canterbury), Curtis Heaphy (Central Stags), Nick Kelly (Wellington Firebirds, white-ball captain), Jayden Lennox (Central Stags), Ben Lister (Auckland Aces), Rhys Mariu (Canterbury), Dale Phillips (Otago Volts).
— APL