16 will be selected to tour England

Press, 28 February 1986, Page 36

16 will be selected to tour England

New Zealand’s cricket team to tour England later this year will comprise 16 players, it was decided at a meeting of the New Zealand board of control in Christchurch yesterday.

The board has effectively given its selectors an opportunity to consider some of this country’s most promising players to travel to the country most likely to assist in their development. It will be one of New Zealand’s biggest cricketing contingents to Britain since the Second World

War. Sixteen travelled in 1983 — a number bolstered by the addition of Sean Tracy — but 15

were originally chosen for the four previous tours. For much of the itinerary the New Zealand squad will be without the services of Richard Hadlee, who is to have his benefit season with his county, Nottinghamshire. It is expected he will be called upon only for the tests and one-day internationals.

Hadlee will have already returned to Eng-

land before the New Zealand side'takes part in a four-nation tournament in Sharjah in April.

Thirteen players will travel to Sharjah. On its way home, the New Zealand team will stop over for three games in Hong Kong. John Wright, who also has English county commitments, is not available for that section of the tour. The team to tour England will be named on April 20, while the tourna-

ment side is still in Hong Kong.