Internet Desk: The New Zealand selectors headed by Gavin Larsen have named speedster Lockie Ferguson in the 14 member squad for the forthcoming Chappell Hadlee series in Australia next month.
The 25-year-old Aucklander is the new face in the Black Caps for the ODI series and New Zealand selector Gavin Larsen admitted they see the right-armer as the man to hurry up the Australian batsmen.
“He bowls consistently in the 140s [kph] and he clicks over 150 every now and then,” Larsen said.
“So there is some real gas to Lockie Ferguson. There’s an element of surprise, and batsmen don’t like playing guys with that sort of pace.”
Ferguson has been compared with Shane Bond, who rattled the Australian batsmen in an ODI series in 2002. With Ferguson being notably quicker than Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Matt Henry, he should be offered the opportunity to try and rattle a relatively inexperienced host side.
“He bowls with pace and with Milney [Adam Milne] not available through his own series of injuries that he’s attempting to come back from,Lockie to us was the obvious guy to step up,” Larsen said.
“Importantly for us, he’s done the job at domestic level. He’s really stepped up and he’s led the Auckland attack in all three forms of cricket and deserves his selection.”
“We felt on balance that at some stage through this summer we would like to expose Lockie and I guess in a way he’s fast-tracked himself through his performances.”
Trent Boult has been named in the 14-man squad despite missing the second test against Pakistan which started in Hamilton on Friday through a knee injury.
“We’ve had good solid medical advice that the issue Trent’s had with his knee is a short-term one,” Larsen said.
Colin de Grandhomme – who starred on his test debut but is better known as a punishing limited-overs allrounder – and Colin Munro are newcomers to the squad that played five ODIs in India, while Todd Astle replaces Ish Sodhi as the leg-spinning option.
BJ Watling has been preferred over Luke Ronchi after his failure with the bat in the initial one-dayers in India.
Larsen said despite Australia’s struggles in the ensuing test series against South Africa, he predicts the trans-Tasman rivals will be out to continue their ascendancy against the Kiwis.
“I expect them to come hard at us. I expect them to be ruthless, I think they’ll be hurting and I think they’ll want to put us away.”
The squad leaves for Australia on Wednesday after the second test against Pakistan, with the first match on Sunday 4 December.
New Zealand squad: Kane Williamson (c), Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Colin de Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Henry Nicholls, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, BJ Watling.