Wellington, June 29 : New Zealand cricket captain Ross Taylor is stressing the importance of making an early statement on their tour of the West Indies, which starts on Sunday with the first of two Twenty20 internationals.
The Black Caps are literally coming out of the cold while the Windies are match-hardened after series’ against Australia and England in recent months.
“I think the Twenty20s will be important. The next few games (ODIs) are in the Caribbean but T20 is very much a momentum game and we need to try and take some of it to Jamaica, so it''s important to get into the groove quickly,” Taylor said from Florida.
New Zealand do not have seniors like Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori and James Franklin for this series, giving fringe players an opportunity to claim what Taylor reckons is “a couple of spots” that are up for grabs in Sri Lanka, stuff.co.nz reports.
Without McCullum, Franklin and Jesse Ryder in the team, New Zealand lack their usual hitting power, certainly in comparison to a West Indies team that boasts Kieron Pollard and welcomes back into the international fold the one-and-only Chris Gayle.
NZ T20 squad: Ross Taylor (captain), Martin Guptill, Doug Bracewell, Dean Brownlie, Andrew Ellis, Daniel Flynn, Ronnie Hira, Tom Latham, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Rob Nicol, Jacob Oram, Tim Southee, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson.
© ANI
