Nick Kelly and Joe Carter have been handed the captaincies for New Zealand A’s trip to South Africa later this month, a tour that offers three one-day matches and two four-day games against provincial opposition. Kelly will steer the limited-overs group, while Carter takes charge once the red ball comes out.
The selectors have chosen 15 players with an average age of about 25. Ten already own full New Zealand caps, so it is hardly a bunch of unknowns, yet the squad still feels new-look. Muhammad Abbas, Zak Foulkes, Mitch Hay, Bevon Jacobs and Rhys Mariu catch the eye straight away after lively contributions for the senior side over the past six months.
Foulkes, a 23-year-old seamer from Canterbury, stole headlines on Test debut in Zimbabwe when he bagged 9 for 75 – the best figures by a New Zealander on debut. Abbas, an aggressive left-hander, smashed the fastest ODI fifty by a Kiwi debutant in March, taking only 26 balls against Pakistan. Wicketkeeper-batter Hay, another Canterbury product, set a T20I record with six dismissals in one innings last summer and later rescued an ODI in Hamilton with an unbeaten 99. Jacobs and Mariu have fewer caps but both started brightly: Jacobs struck 44 not out on T20I debut, Mariu managed a maiden ODI fifty second time out.
Two alterations have been made to the party that toured Bangladesh earlier in the year. Jacobs returns after missing that trip, and Test quick Matt Fisher is back from injury. Auckland pacer Simon Keene and Jacobs are the only names yet to feature for New Zealand A, although Keene’s domestic record – a first-class hundred and three five-fors in 21 matches – suggests he won’t feel overawed.
Northern Districts all-rounder Kristian Clarke would almost certainly have travelled but is sidelined by a side strain picked up at a recent New Zealand A camp.
Daniel Flynn, the former Test opener now assistant coach at Northern Districts, steps up as head coach for this tour. He will lean on NZC high-performance coaches Bob Carter and Graeme Aldridge.
“It’s an exciting blend,” Flynn said. “We have guys who’ve already had a taste of international cricket, and experienced domestic cricketers who are trying to push their case for that next level.” He added that results still matter: “We’re obviously going there to perform and win games of cricket, but we’re also conscious of balancing that with the development of the guys and the opportunity the tour presents for them.”
The squad leaves on 24 August, first fixture pencilled in for 30 August. Venues and opposition are expected to be confirmed shortly by Cricket South Africa.
Brief analysis
For New Zealand’s selectors the trip is part of a longer plan to deepen the talent pool, especially with several senior players now in their mid-thirties. South African conditions – bouncy surfaces, the odd seamer-friendly morning – traditionally examine technique and temperament. Foulkes’ natural lift could be handy, while Abbas’ fondness for hitting through the line may be tested by extra bounce.
Carter’s red-ball captaincy is interesting. The 32-year-old batsman has piled up domestic runs season after season without quite convincing the national panel he is more than stand-by material. Leading an A side on tricky pitches is a chance to show game-management skills the Blackcaps value.
Kelly’s white-ball leadership looks more straightforward. At 31 he knows most of the younger lads well and is a calming presence. With the next Champions Trophy only two summers away, any runs he scores in South Africa won’t hurt.
Squad in full
Muhammad Abbas, Adithya Ashok, Joe Carter (capt, red-ball), Josh Clarkson, Matt Fisher, Zak Foulkes, Mitch Hay, Curtis Heaphy, Bevon Jacobs, Simon Keene, Nick Kelly (capt, white-ball), Jayden Lennox, Ben Lister, Rhys Mariu, Dale Phillips.
Fixtures (provisional)
30 Aug First one-day match
1 Sep Second one-day match
3 Sep Third one-day match
7-10 Sep First four-day match
14-17 Sep Second four-day match
No broadcast details yet, though NZC hopes to stream at least the one-dayers.
As ever with A tours, results matter less than the lessons taken home. Still, South Africa offers stern competition. A few eye-catching performances and some tidy leadership from Kelly and Carter would keep the Blackcaps selectors interested as another northern winter looms.
