Ben Sears will travel to India as New Zealand’s reserve fast bowler for next month’s T20 World Cup, offering pace cover should the main attack hit further injury trouble.
The 26-year-old right-armer steps in after Kyle Jamieson was bumped up to the primary 15 when Adam Milne’s side strain proved too serious. Sears, fresh from a full Super Smash season with Wellington Firebirds, bagged 15 wickets at 17.93 – joint-second on the tournament charts – and, crucially, came through nine matches without a twinge in the hamstring that halted his spring.
Head coach Rob Walter welcomed the reinforcement. “Ben’s worked hard to get himself back on the park and it’s been great to see him back playing and performing well,” Walter said. “He’s had a full Super Smash campaign with the Firebirds where he was the competition’s joint second-top wicket-taker from the round-robin stage with 15 wickets from his nine games. It will be great to have Ben with us here in India and ready to make an impact at the World Cup should someone get injured.”
Sears, capped 22 times in T20 internationals, last played for the Black Caps against Australia in early October. He links up with the squad in Mumbai ahead of the lone warm-up against the USA on 5 February.
New Zealand wrap up their current series on Sunday – India lead 3-1 – before shifting focus to the global event. The World Cup opener against Afghanistan in Chennai on 8 February is followed by group fixtures versus the UAE, South Africa and Canada.
A quick note for those less familiar: a “travelling reserve” trains with the squad and can be activated only if an injury replacement is approved by tournament officials. In other words, Sears’ passport needs to stay handy – just in case.
