Will Young will open for the Black Caps against England in at least the first One Day International tonight in Cardiff, signalling what they will opt for at the top of the order at the Cricket World Cup.
And 1News has been told Finn Allen has already learned his fate with selectors giving him the news he won’t be named in the 15-strong squad next week.
“Will Young will open [in the opener against England],” captain Tom Latham said at a press conference overnight.
“Youngy’s a quality player, he’s been in the mix for us for a long period of time. [He] hasn’t had a lot of opportunities but the opportunities he’s taken in recent times he’s played really well, so another great opportunity for him to come in and put some performances on the board.”
When pressed on what it meant for Allen, Latham played his answer with a typically straight bat.
"Finn’s a quality player, we’ve seen that in the games that he’s played for New Zealand. He’s very destructive at the top of the order. He might get some opportunities throughout this series at some point."
It seemed for a while Allen, who’s played 18 ODIs at an average of 31.35, was New Zealand’s preferred partner alongside Devon Conway at the top, due to his ability to get the innings off to a flying start.
The 24-year-old Auckland opener, who’s moved from Wellington for his domestic commitments this season, played solidly enough in the 50-over format in 2022 but has failed to maximise his opportunities this year, with just one half century to his name in seven ODIs.
But 30-year-old Young grasped his chances a bit better when thrust into the opening spot this year.
He scored 86 and 87 in Pakistan this year in conditions similar to what will be presented at the World Cup. He also has two previous ODI centuries to his name.
His strength of playing spin is likely also seen as a huge positive for Black Caps selectors.
The Black Caps v England series can be watched live and free on TVNZ+
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