![\"Matt](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/26010FirebirdsBraveSS_18.JPG\"\/)
<\/p>\nDespite missing some key players, selector Gavin Larsen believes his lesser-experienced Blackcaps squad has the quality to deliver in the West Indies.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fresh from their historic Test triumph in England, the Blackcaps will look to make it back-to-back series wins when they hit the Caribbean for a five-match ODI tour this month.<\/p>\n
However, the absence of some frontline players has raised some concerns.<\/p>\n
Strike bowlers Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry and Will O\u2019Rourke have returned to New Zealand to rest, while Blair Tickner will go under the knife to repair an ankle injury.<\/p>\n
The batting lineup has also been weakened, with Devon Conway (parenting duties), Rachin Ravindra (franchise cricket commitments) and Glenn Phillips (rest) out of the fold.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But Blackcaps selector Gavin Larsen told Sport Nation Breakfast he has complete confidence in the depth and experience in his squad.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s a fresh looking squad going to the Windies, but it’s mixed in with some really good experience as well,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
Among the newcomers is Northern Districts bowler Matt Fisher, who is set to make his ODI debut.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Matt Fisher | Photo: Photosport<\/p>\n
A star at domestic level, Fisher, 26, has taken 43 wickets in 25 List A matches at an average of 26 and has already represented New Zealand in one Test and one T20I.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe’s got an X Factor. I think he could be a very special cricketer. He’s got the ability to bowl in the high 140s,\u201d Larsen said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe’s just come off a small camp over in Chennai, where the feedback was that he terrorised a few of the Indian batsmen over there.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Blackcaps\u2019 bowling attack will also feature Nathan Smith – named man of the series in England with a 16-wicket haul.<\/p>\n
Larsen believes the squad isn\u2019t hindered by youth nor inexperience, saying the new additions are already meeting expectations and making selection challenging process.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen it is difficult, that’s great. There is a conveyor belt of talent now coming through.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Blackcaps’ first ODI against the West Indies starts on July 12 at 6.30am (NZ time).<\/p>\n
Listen to the full interview here:<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Despite missing some key players, selector Gavin Larsen believes his lesser-experienced Blackcaps squad has the quality to deliver…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":773425,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[564],"tags":[64,63,740,85],"class_list":["post-773424","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cricket","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-cricket","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/773424","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=773424"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/773424\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/773425"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=773424"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=773424"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=773424"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}