Kiwis name interesting Test squad

New Zealand have handed call-ups to uncapped trio Hamish Rutherford, Tom Latham and Bruce Martin ahead of the upcoming opening Test against England. The three players have been named in the Kiwis’ 12-man ahead of the first Test in Dunedin, with head coach Mike Hesson looking to cover injuries to a couple of key players.

Martin Guptill’s thumb injury has opened the door for Rutherford and Latham to battle it out to make their Test debut at the top of the order. Both have experience in ODI cricket but are still awaiting their Test debuts, and now appear to be in a straight race to fill in for the absent Guptill.

Daneil Vettori’s ongoing Achilles’ problem will rule him out until New Zealand’s tour of England in May, handing the chance for 32-year old Bruce Martin to finally win his maiden Test cap.

The left-arm spinner toured South Africa with the Black Caps last year but failed to get a taste of the action, but sports betting news reports that he could now be set to take on one of Test cricket’s most formidable batting line-ups. England star batsman Kevin Pietersen hasn’t had a great relationship wit left-arm spinners in the past, and that may have been behind the thinking when Vettori was ruled out.

Tim Southee is one of three young bowlers that will form New Zealand’s pace attack, joining up with Trent Boult and Doug Bracewell in an exciting but relatively untested group of fast bowlers.

Captain Brendon McCullum will continue to bat at number five in Tests and step down from the wicket-keeping role, with BJ Watling to keep wicket and bat at number seven for the first of two matches in this Test series.

According to the majority of cricket betting news previews, there doesn’t appear to be any real chance for New Zealand to overcome an England side that is right up there challenging South Africa for the number one ranking. That said, this young Kiwi side will certainly be given the freedom of playing without any pressure on their shoulders.

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