Crippled Blackcaps scavenge for players as injury crisis deepens

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (CMC):

The BLACKCAPS’ fortress has become a hospital ward, and with the West Indies arriving in Wellington with renewed belief, New Zealand’s selection panel is scrambling to assemble a fit XI for the second Test starting today.

In a brutal triple blow, New Zealand Cricket confirmed pace spearhead Matt Henry has been ruled out with a calf injury, while all-rounder Nathan Smith is also out with a side strain, and spin-bowling stalwart Mitchell Santner will be missing with a groin problem.

The devastating news compounds the existing absence of wicketkeeper Tom Blundell, who has been sidelined after tearing his hamstring on day one in Christchurch.

The casualty ward has forced a radical reshuffle. In a rare sliver of stability, middle-order rock Daryl Mitchell is set to return after his lengthy stint as a substitute fielder in the first Test.

From the chaos, opportunities arise, as Glenn Phillips, who joined the squad early as a fielder, has been formally added following a Plunket Shield fitness audition and is now a genuine contender for a batting spot.

Behind the stumps, Mitchell Hay stands on the cusp of a Test debut after being called up to replace Blundell.

Most telling, however, is the frantic search for bowling firepower. With Kyle Jamieson and Will O’Rourke still in managed ‘return-to-play’ protocols, selectors have turned to uncharted territory.

A day after summoning uncapped seamer Michael Rae, they have called in Kristian Clarke, a 24-year-old, seam-bowling allrounder from Northern Districts.

Clarke, a recent replacement in the ODI squad, earns his maiden Test call-up as a direct replacement for Smith.

This leaves Blair Tickner, the reserve in Christchurch, firmly in the frame, with a potential debut toss-up between Rae and Clarke for the Basin Reserve.