The BLACKCAPS tour of Africa is underway with the first dispatch of players en-route to Pretoria for a week long training camp.
Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Mitchell Santner, BJ Watling, Henry Nicholls, Mark Craig, Luke Ronchi, Doug Bracewell, Ish Sodhi and Jeet Raval all departed from Auckland airport on Monday, alongside support staff and head coach Mike Hesson.
“The eight days in South Africa are very much for the guys who haven’t been playing overseas this winter. We want to make sure they’re up to speed and can hit the ground running if selected for the first Test against Zimbabwe,” Hesson said upon departure.
Following the Pretoria training camp, the squad will relocate to Harare for a three day warm-up before the first of two Tests against Zimbawe in Bulawayo starting July 29th.
The international based players such as captain Kane Williamson (Yorkshire), Ross Taylor (Sussex), Neil Wagner (Lancashire), Tom Latham (Kent), Matt Henry (Worcestershire) and Martin Guptill (Guyana) will join the camp gradually before the warm-up match on July 22nd.
Hesson said he was confident the Zimbabwe leg of the tour would go ahead as the security situation continues to be monitored.
“There's nothing to suggest it won't at this stage, but we'll need to collect further information and a number at New Zealand Cricket and the Players Association and many other people are providing really good advice.”
Africa will be the first full tour for Canterbury batsman Henry Nicholls, who is set to fill Brendon McCullum’s spot at number five.
“I’m pretty excited. I got a wee taste of touring life at the World Twenty20, but to be fully involved in a four Test tour of Africa will be something pretty special and I can’t wait to get stuck in,” the 24-year-old said.
The tour will also see Williamson become just the 29th man to lead New Zealand in a Test.
"It'll be great for Kane - he's captained New Zealand 36 times but it'll be his first Test match and a special occasion.
"We've got a number of leaders in the group, Tim [Southee] being one of them. That's the strength of the group is that it won't be left up to Kane. There will be a number of different people contributing,” Hesson said.
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