New look for Twenty20 BLACKCAPS

The BLACKCAPS unveiled their new Twenty20 uniform with a bowl-off in Wellington.

The new strip evokes memories of the 1992 World Cup, where the New Zealanders reached the semi-final stage, with tournament winning-Pakistan the only team to overcome them.

Three of the BLACKCAPS State Wellington Firebirds contingent - captain Stephen Fleming, all-rounder James Franklin and spinner Jeetan Patel - were in the capital for the new outfit’s maiden public showing.

Patel’s namesake Dipak stunned the cricket world by opening the bowling with his spinners at the tournament.

And the current spin star said he was partly inspired by the tactical innovation – although he was not sure if he would be handed the ball first this summer.

“We were just talking about that – we’ll have to see how it goes,” he said. “You never know, opening the bowling - same name, and the same shirt.”

“Obviously, it changed the face of cricket and it showed me that there was heaps of opportunities there if I put in the hard yards.”

Dipak Patel was in favour of the ‘back to the future’ look.

“It’s fantastic,” he said. “I’ve definitely got fond memories of it and I’m sure most of the other guys do.”

And he was equally enthusiastic about his team’s tactical innovation making a return.

“I’d be an advocate – why not? I think the conditions dictate what we did, but it had been mooted during the build up to the World Cup,”

The BLACKCAPS will wear the new colours for the first time against Sri Lanka in the first Twenty20 international of The National Bank Series at the Westpac Stadium on December 22.