New Zealand name strong 'A' squad

Spinner Jeetan Patel is in the New Zealand A squad for the first part of their tour

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A strong New Zealand A team will take on counterparts from India and Australia on a tour of the sub-continent next month.

With the ICC Champions Trophy postponed, the Kiwi selectors have included a number of Test and ODI players in their squad for the trip, which takes in a stop in Brisbane to face Queensland.

Test players Grant Elliott, Peter Fulton, James Marshall, Michael Mason and Aaron Redmond will stay for the duration of the tour, which concludes in Chennai two days before the Black Caps’ October ODI series against Bangladesh.

Fellow full internationals Jeetan Patel and Mark Gillespie are included for the opening stages of the tour.

Their Wellington team-mate Iain O’Brien and Northern District Knights youngster Trent Boult will join the team later in the series.

New Zealand coach John Bracewell, the selection panel convenor, said in a statement: “We have taken the opportunity to assemble a team of emerging talent and players who will benefit from the experience of touring and playing in Australia and India.

“The tour is helping to build the experience of these players and is part of a programme to build greater depth at the international level.”

Otago coach Mike Hesson will lead the party, with ex-national team boss Glenn Turner named as manager.

New Zealand A: Brent Arnel, Neil Broom, Grant Elliott, Peter Fulton, Mark Gillespie/Iain O’Brien, Martin Guptill, Greg Hay, Nathan McCullum, James Marshall, Michael Mason, Jeetan Patel/Trent Boult, Aaron Redmond, Bradley Scott, Reece Young, BJ Watling.