New Zealand’s T20 World Cup build-up has suffered a setback, with Adam Milne forced out by a torn hamstring picked up in the SA20. Kyle Jamieson, already touring India as a travelling reserve, moves into the 15-man squad.
Milne damaged the muscle during his first over for Sunrisers Eastern Cape against MI Cape Town last Sunday. Scans confirmed a significant tear. Until that point he had been one of the form quicks in the competition, taking 11 wickets at 16.27 and conceding just 7.61 an over.
“We’re all gutted for Adam,” New Zealand head coach Rob Walter said. “He’d worked so hard to get himself ready for the tournament and was looking back to his best in his eight games for the Eastern Cape Sunrisers. It’s unfortunate timing for Adam and we wish him a speedy recovery.”
Jamieson’s promotion was straightforward: squads can be altered freely up to 31 January, after which any change needs ICC approval. The 6ft 8in seamer returned to international cricket late last year following back surgery and reminded everyone of his threat with 4 for 41 in the first ODI against India earlier this month.
“It’s great that Kyle is already with us here in India,” Walter said. “He’s an integral member of our pace-bowling group and has hit the ground running on this tour. He’s a hard-worker with a good set of skills and experiences that will hold him good stead for the tournament.”
On paper the switch is like-for-like: both are hit-the-deck quicks who offer new-ball swing and useful lower-order runs. The difference is Jamieson’s extra height, which brings steepling bounce—handy if Chennai and Guyana, New Zealand’s group venues, leave more grass on than usual.
There are other moving parts. Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson have both signalled they may take short paternity breaks during the tournament, so the selectors are expected to name another travelling reserve before the squad flies from India.
New Zealand open their campaign against Afghanistan in Chennai on 8 February, with a warm-up versus the USA in Mumbai two days earlier. The current T20I series in India still has four matches to run, giving Jamieson immediate opportunities to tune-up and the coaching staff a little time to reshuffle workloads.
For Milne, 33 next month, the priority is another rehab programme. A succession of side, elbow and hamstring problems has limited him to 55 white-ball internationals in 12 years. This latest injury is frustrating rather than career-threatening, but every lay-off narrows the window. The camp, though, is keeping things simple: one bowler out, another in, and the World Cup clock keeps ticking.
