Black Caps selection leaves McKay buzzing

MAARTEN HOLL/The Dominion Post

NEW CAP: Wellington left-arm medium-fast bowler Andy McKay is one of the newcomers to the Black Caps team.

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New Black Caps Andy McKay and Peter Ingram say they are finally ready to complete their transformations from provincial journeymen to international cricketers.

Wellington left-arm quick McKay, 29, and Central Districts opening batsman Ingram, 31, are the two new faces in New Zealand's limited-overs squads to play Bangladesh next month.

McKay's selection caused some to choke on their cornflakes yesterday, but with Shane Bond, Kyle Mills and Iain O'Brien unavailable, and Chris Martin deemed a test specialist, selectors have scoured the country for someone who can trouble the speedball radar.

So McKay took a phone call from Mark Greatbatch on Saturday morning informing him of his selection in the one-day squad.

"It was a nice wake-up call," McKay said. "I'm really excited about the news and I'm floating on cloud nine at the moment."

McKay, who moved from Auckland to Wellington this season, has taken 20 domestic one-day wickets at 28.85 and the affable physiotherapist said he had "no idea" he was in the frame.

"It was really a bolt out of the blue. I'm still buzzing."

Ingram has been knocking on the door for the past two seasons and boasts a healthy average and strike rate in both one-dayers and Twenty20. He attributes his late bloom to some words of wisdom from wife Aimee.

"She asked me a few times about four years ago, `Why do you bother playing, because you clearly don't enjoy it,"' Ingram said. "And that's what sparked the change. I just went into trainings and games and tried to whack it and enjoy it."

Greatbatch said McKay had improved greatly over the past three months.

"He's got a great attitude, he's fit and strong and he's been consistent. He's a wicket-taker and he's got a bit more pace than some."

Greatbatch said selectors had one eye on this year's Twenty20 World Cup and next year's one-day World Cup. McKay had leapfrogged the likes of Brent Arnel because of his point of difference as a left-armer.

Greatbatch said Ingram was also in contention for the test side, which is named early next month.

Scott Styris and BJ Watling were the unluckiest players to miss out, Greatbatch said, with Neil Broom, James Franklin and Gareth Hopkins given chances to bat in the middle-order.

Hopkins is in the Twenty20 side as a specialist batsman, with Brendon McCullum as wicketkeeper, despite Hopkins averaging only eight in 14 one-day internationals.

"We think he's the type of player we need in that area of six, to be busy and improvise," Greatbatch said. "He's a form player and he's a great character."

Franklin had been picked for his batting, he said.

Jacob Oram has been chosen in both squads, saved by his steady medium pace as he struggles to score runs in the Twenty20 competition.

"Jacob's form is very good with the ball but he hasn't been going as well with the bat," Greatbatch said.

Lou Vincent and Jeetan Patel were overlooked for both squads but Greatbatch said Patel was in line for the test team.

THE SQUADS

New Zealand Twenty20 squad to play Bangladesh: Daniel Vettori (c), Brendon McCullum, Peter Ingram, Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, James Franklin, Gareth Hopkins, Jacob Oram, Nathan McCullum, Ian Butler, Daryl Tuffey, Tim Southee.

ODI: Vettori (c), McCullum, Ingram, Guptill, Taylor, Neil Broom, James Franklin, Oram, Butler, Tuffey, Southee, Andy McKay. Injured: Shane Bond, Grant Elliott, Kyle Mills, Jesse Ryder. Schedule Twenty20: Hamilton, February 3 First ODI: Napier, February 5 Second ODI: Dunedin, February 8 Third ODI: Christchurch, February 11 Test: Hamilton, February 15-19

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