ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: New Zealand to play three-match warm-up series against Australia ahead of tournament

New Zealand opening batsman Tom Latham will lead a 13-man squad against Australia for a three-match World Cup warm-up series in Brisbane next month. New Zealand had announced their World Cup side last week and nine members from that team will not be there in the warm-up series. Ross Taylor will be on county duties with Middlesex while others are in India for their Indian Premier League commitments. [caption id=“attachment_3055410” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] New Zealand’s Tom Latham will lead New Zealand in three-match warm up against Australia. AP[/caption] “It’s an exciting challenge ahead of this group who I know will relish the chance to take on the Australians at home,” Cricket.com.au quoted New Zealand selector Gavin Larsen as saying. “The matches will be a stern test and provide quality preparation for those players bound for England and a great opportunity for the rest of the squad to show their wares,” he added. Australia are yet to announce their team for the warm-up series as well as the side for the premier tournament. Three-match warm-up series will be played on 5, 7 and 9 May. New Zealand XI squad: Tom Latham (c), Todd Astle, Hamish Bennett, Tom Blundell (wk), Doug Bracewell, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Henry Nicholls, Hamish Rutherford, Blair Tickner, George Worker and Will Young.