http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 v New Zealand – Only T20I – Kiwi bowlers to watch out for [Part 3]
Continued from Part 2 ...
Nathan McCullum
With the Only T20 due to be played out on a sub-continental pitch, spinners are bound to play a key role, in which regard Nathan McCullum is expected to prove a vital part of the Kiwis’ campaign.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/BB-McCullum-c1129’s elder brother, the 32-year-old right-arm off-spinner made his debut for the national side during the inaugural edition of the ICC World Twenty20 in 2007/2008, and has since gone on to play a total of 139 T20s, with 133 scalps to his credit. He is also New Zealand’s top wicket-taker in the T20I format, with 40 scalps to his name.
In addition to playing for the national side, the elder McCullum brother has also been affiliated with the Pune http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746’s Big Bash League.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/NL-McCullum-c2120 was New Zealand’s joint third-highest wicket-taker in the recently wrapped up World T20, during which he claimed 4 wickets in total. He was also the team’s second most economical bowler, with an economy rate of 6.11 from the 5 matches he played. Incidentally, the best economy rates by Kiwi bowlers in the tournament were registered by spinners, a fact which emphasises their importance to New Zealand’s campaign in Sri Lanka.
Currently with the Sydney Sixers in South Africa, where the team is going strong in the ongoing Champions League Twenty20, McCullum is bound to benefit from getting into the T20 frame of mind before he heads to Sri Lanka with the rest of the team, where, in the absence of Vettori, most of the responsibility to lead the Kiwi spin attack falls on his shoulders.
Kyle http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mills-c76321
Despite a slew of injuries which have seen him in and out of the national side, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KD-Mills-c1781 has begun to fulfil a key role in New Zealand’s pace attack, and the team will be banking on the 33-year-old medium-pacer to take down the Lankan batting order alongside Southee and Oram.
A veteran of 97 T20s, with 104 wickets to his credit, Mills has also featured in the Indian Premier League, in which he has been affiliated with both the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sialkot-c842 Stallions.
Mills was the team’s joint third-highest wicket-taker in Sri Lanka during the World T20, during which he claimed 4 wickets at an economy rate of 8.18. The right-armer will undoubtedly be eager to contribute substantially and improve on those figures as his team prepares to battle it out with Sri Lanka.
Wrap-up
With a promising handful of bowlers at their disposal, New Zealand looks all set to take on the Lankan http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625’s T20 team rankings – a position which they will be looking to improve. Adjusting to Sri Lankan conditions, and familiarising themselves with the pitches will be key if the Kiwis are to reverse their fortunes.
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