| Player: | IG Butler, JEC Franklin, NL McCullum, PD McGlashan |
| Event: | New Zealand in Australia 2008/09 |
DateLine: 12th February 2009
New Zealand have named four new faces, including wicket-keeper batsman Brendon McCullum's elder brother Nathan in their 13-man squad for the Twenty20 International match against Australia in Sydney on Sunday.
All-rounder Nathan, pace duo Ian Butler and James Franklin and right-handed wicket-keeper batsman Peter McGlashan, all boasting international experience in Twenty20 and One-Day International formats, will join the Kiwi squad in place of Trent Boult, Craig Cumming, Brendon Diamanti, Peter Fulton, Gareth Hopkins and Jeetan Patel, who will return home on Saturday after Friday's ODI series decider at the Gabba. New Zealand Cricket chief selector, Glenn Turner said his panel had opted to rope in multi-skilled players who are best suited to the Twenty20 format.
"James Franklin has been scoring very well in the State Twenty20 competition and at a very good strike rate. He comes in primarily as a batting all-rounder," Turner said in a statement.
"Ian Butler will play as a bowling all-rounder with his brisk medium pace, and an ability to hit big at the death. Nathan McCullum has also been in good form and is a valuable all rounder. He is well suited to this form of the game with his off-spin and aggressive batting.
"Peter McGlashan is a good improviser with the bat in the middle order, and also gives us cover for Brendon McCullum as wicketkeeper," he added.
Squad : Daniel Vettori (captain), Neil Broom, Ian Butler, Grant Elliott, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Peter McGlashan, Kyle Mills, Iain O'Brien, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor.