McCullum eyes redemption in ODIs

NZ captain aims for improvement against England in 1st match today.

LONDON: New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum hopes a change of format and the introduction of several new players will revive his side from the depths of a Test whitewash when they face England in a three-match One-Day International (ODI) series starting at Lord’s today.

For both teams, this series will serve as a warm-up for next month’s ICC Champions Trophy in England and Wales.

McCullum would also like it to act as a pick-me-up for a squad that suffered a 247-run hammering by England in the second and final Test at Headingley on Tuesday.

Friday’s match will see New Zealand return to Lord’s where they lost the first Test by the comparatively modest, yet still huge, margin of 170 runs after collapsing to 68 all out in their second-innings.



They are set to take the field without left-arm seamer Trent Boult, a star performer when New Zealand faced England at home earlier this year and who also impressed in England before aggravating a side strain at Headingley. Ian Butler is ready to stand-in should Boult be ruled out.

However, the inclusion of eight new players for the ODIs should bolster the Kiwis.

“We’ve got new guys coming into the fold and they’re quite experienced,” said McCullum.

“One thing we have been able to do in recent times is move between the forms of the game and refocus too. That’s what this [situation] is going to require on a very short turnaround.”

Former captain Daniel Vettori, who ruled himself unfit to play at Headingley because of concerns over an Achilles injury, James Franklin, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills and Grant Elliott will all add experience to the squad.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 31^st, 2013.