COMMENT: There is a lot to look forward to this summer but the biggest treat will come at the end of the season when England arrives for five one-day internationals and two tests.
There are inbound tours from the West Indies and Pakistan as well, plus a twenty20 tri-series which includes old foe Australia.
Dunedin has missed out on a test but has been scheduled two ODIs. The Black Caps will play Pakistan at the University Oval on January 13 and will be back for the fourth ODI against England on March 7.
The Barmy Army always brings plenty of colour and was last in Dunedin four years ago for the first test.
It was a memorable match for Otago left-hander Hamish Rutherford. He made a sensational test debut, clobbering 171 from 217 balls in a scintillating innings.
It was a good match for provincial team-mate Neil Wagner as well. The gutsy left-armer took four for 42 in England’s first innings to help get the home side into a commanding position.
The second innings was brutal on the seamers. The pitch had died and England batted for 170 overs to draw the game.
But Wagner enhanced his reputation with a lion-hearted effort. He took three for 141 from 43 overs and never stopped trying no matter how forlorn the situation appeared. It was just his fourth test and he won a lot of new supporters over with his effort. Rutherford, however, was not able to capitalise on his wonderful start. He played the most recent of his 16 tests in January 2015.
The opening spot has long been an issue for the Black Caps but in incumbents Tom Latham and Jeet Raval New Zealand might finally have a pair capable of an extended run.
Latham is averaging close to 40 in the opening spot and Raval has made a promising start to his test career with five 50s in 12 innings.
The pair could have a big impact on the test series against England simply by providing stars Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor some decent protection from the new ball. The Blacks Caps issues start at No5 where Henry Nicholls is yet to convince some of the critics, and the all-rounder’s spot is wide open.
With Otago’s Jimmy Neesham out of favour and Corey Anderson seemingly always injured, the role has been shared by Mitchell Santner and Colin de Grandhomme. You would swap both of them for one Ben Stokes had it not been for that footage of his alleged brawl outside a Bristol nightclub.
The New Zealand attack is a tricky prospect at home but the bowling unit will be working overtime looking for a flaw in Joe Root’s game. Keeping his run tally lean will be the key to winning the series. His head-to-head battle with Williamson is perhaps the most interesting duel between the two nations since champion all-rounders Richard Hadlee and Ian Botham eyed each other up.
Summer of cricket
Black Caps’ home schedule
v West Indies
December 1: 1st test, Wellington
December 9: 2nd test, Hamilton
December 20: 1st ODI, Whangarei
December 23: 2nd ODI, Christchurch
December 26: 3rd ODI, Christchurch
December 29: 1st twenty20, Nelson
January 1: 2nd twenty20, Tauranga
January 3: 3rd twenty20, Tauranga
v Pakistan
January 6: 1st ODI, Wellington
January 9: 2nd ODI, Nelson
January 13: 3rd ODI, Dunedin
January 16: 4th ODI, Hamilton
January 19: 5th ODI, Wellington
January 22: 1st twenty20, Wellington
January 25: 2nd twenty20, Auckland
January 28: 3rd twenty20, TaurangaTwenty20 Tri-Series
February 13: v England, Wellington
February 16: v Australia, Auckland
February 18: v England, Hamilton
v England
February 25: 1st ODI, Hamilton
February 28: 2nd ODI, Tauranga
March 3: 3rd ODI, Wellington
March 7: 4th ODI, Dunedin
March 10: 5th ODI, Christchurch
March 22: 1st test, Auckland
March 30: 2nd test, Christchurch
