19 Feb 2013

Plenty of fresh faces in NZ XI to face England

2:15 pm on 19 February 2013

The New Zealand XI squad to play England in next week's four-day warm-up match in Queenstown features eight internationals, but also sees Northern Districts leg spinner Ish Sodhi and Central Districts batsman Carl Cachopa handed a chance to impress the selectors.

Sodhi was one of the top bowlers at last year's under-19 World Cup and the 20-year-old has been in great form during this season's Plunket Shield four-day competition, while the South African-born Cachopa has been averaging in the 50s in the Plunket Shield.

Tom Latham, Hamish Rutherford, Dean Brownlie, Neil Wagner, James Neesham, Neil Broom, Corey Anderson and Mark Gillespie are current or recent Black Caps while the side will be captained by former Australian wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi.

The four-day warm-up match starts next Wednesday at the Queenstown Events Centre.

One more player may be added to the team closer to the match in Queenstown.

New Zealand XI: Luke Ronchi (c) - Wellington Firebirds, Corey Anderson - Northern Knights, Neil Broom - Otago Volts, Dean Brownlie - Canterbury Wizards, Carl Cachopa - Central Stags, Mark Gillespie - Wellington Firebirds, Tom Latham - Canterbury Wizards, James Neesham - Otago Volts, Hamish Rutherford - Otago Volts, Ish Sodhi - Northern Knights, Neil Wagner - Otago Volts