A New Zealand XI will play warm up matches against Ireland and Scotland, as part of a full programme of Associate Nation fixtures being played across the country.
The NZ XI matches against Scotland and Ireland are low-key warm up fixtures for the ANZ ODI series v South Africa, starting on 21 October at Tauranga. The New Zealand XI have the opportunity to play 12 men in the matches (this means only 11 on the field and able to bat, but allowing players who didn't bat to bowl, etc) to get as many players as possible on the park. As the NZ XI matches are non-competitive or unofficial, stats accumulated in the match will not count towards a player's record.
New Zealand XI v Scotland
Brendon McCullum (c) - Otago Volts
Corey Anderson - Northern Knights
Dean Brownlie - Northern Knights
Martin Guptill - Auckland Aces
Matt Henry - Canterbury
Tom Latham - Canterbury
Mitchell McClenaghan - Auckland Aces
Nathan McCullum - Otago Volts
Kyle Mills - Auckland Aces
Colin Munro - Auckland Aces
Luke Ronchi - Wellington Firebirds
Daniel Vettori - Northern Knights
Additional NZ XI squad members: Kane Williamson, BJ Watling, Ross Taylor, Jimmy Neesham, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Adam Milne. The squad for the second warm-up match against Ireland in Hamilton on Saturday will be named later this week.
NZ XI play Scotland at Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln at 10.30am on Wednesday 15 October and Ireland at Seddon Park, Hamilton at 2pm on Saturday 18 October. The matches will be live-scored on blackcaps.co.nz.
Talking points in the squad are the return of Daniel Vettori and Dean Brownlie to the international scene. Vettori has been training with BLACKCAPS Strength and Conditioning Coach Chris Donaldson over the winter and is reportedly performing strongly. Brownlie, who made an off-season move to the Northern Knights, is selected on the back of impressive top-order performances on the NZA tour of England and Scotland over the NZ winter.
For the visitors, Scotland and Ireland will be keen for an early look at conditions here before returning for the World Cup; Scotland, who are coached by ex-Northern Knights and NZA coach Grant Bradburn will go on to play Canterbury, an NZ Invitation XI and the Otago Volts, while Ireland will travel to Bert Sutcliffe Oval to play Canterbury and the Volts.
Among the Spring weather, there's been plenty of early season cricket happening - Afghanistan have been in action at Tauranga's Bay Oval, recording wins over the Auckland Aces and Northern Knights. There's never been this much early season cricket played in living memory, all signs are pointing to a sizeable summer's cricket, culminating in ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.
