New Zealand’s Will O’Rourke. File.
| Photo Credit: AFP
New Zealand quick bowler Will O’Rourke has been dominated out of the second cricket test in opposition to Australia with a hamstring pressure.
Ben Sears, who has performed 13 Twenty20 internationals for New Zealand however is uncapped in exams, has been called into the squad and is more likely to play within the match which begins Friday at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
In different damage information, opener Devon Conway will endure surgical procedure after damaging his left thumb in the course of the T20 sequence in opposition to Australia, which is able to lengthen his absence from the New Zealand workforce to a minimum of eight weeks.
New Zealand coach Gary Stead mentioned O’Rourke can be out for up to 4 weeks and mentioned Sears had impressed.
“Ben’s a young bowler with a quality skill set,” Stead mentioned. “He bowls with genuine pace and gets good bounce which is always a great asset in red ball cricket.
“We’ve been really impressed by his performances for the Black Caps in white ball cricket this summer and believe he can make the step up to the test arena if called upon.”
Stead mentioned the New Zealand selectors had not thought of recalling Neil Wagner, the veteran seamer who retired from test cricket final week after lacking choice for the primary test.
“We reconsider a number of things,” Stead mentioned. “But we thought in this case that the pace of Ben Sears and what he’s brought to us in international cricket so far is the difference that we needed.”
Australia leads the two-test sequence 1-0 after profitable the opener on the Basin Reserve by 172 runs.
