Blackcaps Bay Oval prep is hard work and beach fun

Blackcaps speedster Trent Boult goes easy on a young fan in yesterday's beach cricket at the Mount. Photos: Chris James

Preparing for tomorrow's opening One Day International against Sri Lanka at the Bay Oval has meant hard work in the nets for the Blackcaps, but also taking time out to engage with fans with a little beach cricket.

Fresh from taking out the test series against the Sri Lankans with a massive 423 run win in the second test in Christchurch, the Blackcaps are in Tauranga to launch their five-match ODI series with two matches at the highly-regarded venue. Bumper crowds and glorious weather are expected for both occasions, tomorrow and Saturday.

Veteran opener Martin Guptill, who returns to the international picture after missing out since last season with calf injury issues, says he's enjoyed watching his teammates' test performances, and they're looking forward to transferring that form into the one-day format.

'The test team, they've played some extremely exciting cricket in the last little while and the results have shown that – four series in a row they've won and hats off to them, they've played extremely well.

'They've found a way to score runs and perform under pressure so it's been exciting watching.

'And we change to the one day format and it's equally as exciting. We've got some hard-hitting batsmen with some experience to round off the top order, and then Jimmy Neesham comes back into the side and he's been in good form as well, so it's looking pretty exciting for these next few one-dayers.”

Newly-recalled Blackcaps allrounder Jimmy Neesham bowling in the Bay Oval nets

Boult gleefully takes the catch off Colin Munro

World number two ranked Twenty/20 batsman Colin Munro will join Guptill in opening the batting, with local hero Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and Henry Nicholls completing the top order.

Tauranga-born Doug Bracewell returns to the international scene to contest for an all-rounder position, while the Northern Knights' Tim Seifert will take the wicketkeeping gloves for the series in place of the resting Tom Latham.

Back in the Blackcaps for the first time since January last year, Doug Bracewell works on his technique in the Bay Oval nets

New Bay resident Colin de Grandhomme is also resting for this series.

Tauranga's Trent Boult – who along with Munro indulged in an afternoon of beach cricket with fans at the Mount Main Beach yesterday after training – leads the quick bowling attack which includes Tim Southee, Matt Henry, and the express pace of Lockie Ferguson among the selection options.

Northern Districts' Ish Sodhi is the sole spinner in the squad.

Sri Lanka also go into the series with a number of changes from the squad which lost the test series 1-0 to New Zealand, including the return of veteran paceman Lasith 'Slinger” Malinga.

Guptill, who has fond memories of taking on Sri Lanka at the Bay Oval after scoring 102 against them at the ground three years ago, says his injury issues are behind him, but he's still got work to do to get back to the form he'd like to be in for tomorrow's match.

'It's fair to say I may be a bit rusty. I was rusty the other day playing for Auckland as well so hopefully the cobwebs can be blown out in the nets and then hopefully I can hit the ground running.”

The team have new coach Gary Stead at the helm, and are starting their buildup to the World Cup in England later in the year, but Guptill doesn't see those factors affecting his approach to the game.

'It's pretty much business as usual to be honest, I don't see my role changing too much in the side. Colin and I have just got to go out there and see what we can do and have a bit of fun at the top of the order.

'Just keep doing the same things we're doing that's made us so successful over the last few years.”

Ish Sodhi practices a reverse sweep

Keeping the standards high will be a key focus for the Blackcaps, who as the world's third-ranked nation in ODIs will be looking to guard against complacency against the eighth-ranked Sri Lankans.

Enjoying the experience of playing in front of the Bay Oval crowd will be high on Guptill's priority list too.

'It is exciting playing here,” he says.

'With the banks being built up here it's a much bigger crowd nowadays and it's a nice family venue as well so everybody has a nice day out.”

The two 50-over One Day Internationals at the Bay Oval tomorrow and Saturday start at 2pm.

New Zealand squad for the two matches:

Kane Williamson (capt), Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Colin Munro, James Neesham, Henry Nicholls, Tim Seifert (wk), Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor


Boult's impeccable bowling action comes out even on the beach


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1 comment

Excellent

Posted on 02-01-2019 10:59 | By overit

Trent and Kane are such neat people. So excited about this Cricket.


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