Hesson using upcoming games as WT20 prep

Cricket365
January 8, 2016

New Zealand coach Mike Hesson says he will be using the upcoming run of five T20 matches to look at his side ahead of the World Twenty20 in March, starting with the Sri Lanka series.

The Black Caps will play two games against Sri Lanka, who they just beat in the five-match ODI series, and will then play three T20s against Pakistan, also in New Zealand.

Hesson, who feels there's not enough T20 cricket played by some sides (NZ played only four in 2015), said: "We just don't play enough T20.

"You win a couple of games and slide five places up the rankings. When you don't play you don't go anywhere. The fact that we've got five in a row is great – that will be a window of preparation for us.

"Then we pretty much park it until we get to India."

The Kiwis will face Sri Lanka without fast bowler Tim Southee, who has been ruled out with a foot injury. But Hesson feels this is a good chance to look at the likes of Matt Henry for a decent stretch of time.

He added: "We've got to be able to rely on a number of different players to perform. With Tim as an example we get injuries from time to time, and we've got to make sure we're good enough that we don't have to change the way we play.

"We've got a number of quicks. We'll give some players different opportunities during these T20s, and hopefully they will grab them."

Hesson also conceded that the conditions at home were hardly the same as India, so judging players was a bit trickier, but he said that good form would apply anywhere, no matter the conditions.

He said: "You need to consider the conditions, but form is good at any time. If players are shooting the lights out domestically or playing here, the selectors will be considering it.

"We've probably got a group of about 17 that we're looking at, and we're looking to pick 15 from that. It is completely different conditions from India.

"There will likely be an extra spinner in the mix – who may or may not play a part in this five-match series."