New Zealand great Ross Taylor to play warmup games against Netherlands before farewell series

Auckland: Veteran batter Ross Taylor will turn out for the New Zealand XI against Netherlands in Napier next week to get some game-time before he bids farewell to international cricket in his final ODI series later this month.

Paul Wiseman will lead the coaching staff and will be supported by Auckland pace bowling coach Azhar Abbas and former New Zealand wicket-keeper BJ Watling.

Watling has been working in the Northern Districts coaching network for the past couple of seasons and was head coach for Northern Districts A this season.

Taylor was ruled out of the Plunket Shield match on Friday for the Central Stags for being a COVID-19 ‘household contact’. The 38-year-old will turn out against the touring Dutch at McLean Park in the second one-day warm-up match on 19 March as well as the one off T20 on 21 March.

“I’m looking forward to getting down to Napier and playing on one of my favourite grounds in McLean Park,” Taylor said.

“It’s a great opportunity to get some time in the middle after missing the latest round of the Plunket Shield and it will also be useful to have a look at the touring team ahead of the ODI series.

“I’m looking forward to sharing the dressing room with some new and younger faces who I hope I can help by passing on some knowledge,” he added.

The New Zealand XI face Netherlands behind closed doors in two one-day matches at Napier on 17 and 19 March followed by a one-off T20 on 21 March.

The Black Caps then take on the Netherlands in a T20I on 25 March at McLean Park followed by three ODIs, at Mount Maunganui’s Bay Oval on 29 March and Hamilton’s Seddon Park on 2 and 4 April.

“The Netherlands are an ever improving side and they’ll be relishing the chance to take on a Test-playing nation,” Taylor said.

“They have a few familiar players from the New Zealand domestic scene who I’m sure will be valuable to them in terms of understanding the conditions We know they’ll play with plenty of pride and expect them to be a good challenge, he added.

Taylor’s inclusion headlines a strong mix of Black Caps hopefuls and rising stars in the NZ XI squad which will be captained Michael Bracewell.

Bracewell, Dane Cleaver and Ben Sears are very much contenders for the New Zealand white-ball squads to face the Netherlands later this month, in light of the unavailability of 12 Black Caps regulars, including skipper Kane Williamson, who will leave for the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the coming weeks.

The rest of the NZ XI side is a look into the future with Jesse Tashkoff, Jock McKenzie and Matt Boyle recent graduates of the NZ U19 programme.

New Zealand XI squad: Michael Bracewell (c), Matt Bacon, Matt Boyle, Josh Clarkson, Dane Cleaver (wk), James Hartshorn, Mitch Hay, Jayden Lennox, Angus McKenzie, Jock McKenzie, Tim Pringle, Ben Sears, Jesse Tashkoff (game 1), Ross Taylor (games 2 and 3).

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