Matt Henry to miss ODIs versus West Indies: Here's why
Kiwi speedster Matt Henry has been ruled out of the three-match ODI series against West Indies owing to a rib injury. As per ESPNcricinfo, the 30-year-old complained of experiencing pain in his left side during training last week. He even missed out on the first two T20Is versus WI, which New Zealand won comfortably. 24-year-old Ben Sears will now replace the former. Here's more.
NZ head coach Gary Stead said they wanted to avoid a significant risk regarding Henry. "Although the injury is not overly serious, we felt there was a significant risk it would become worse through playing. With the upcoming ODI series starting on Wednesday and consisting of three games over five days, we saw it as prudent to bring in a fully fit replacement."
Henry, since making his debut in 2014, has featured in 60 outings and claimed 110 wickets. He averages 25.22 (BBI: 5/30). Versus Windies, Henry has clipped three wickets at 43.33. He last played an ODI series against Ireland in July, wherein he claimed four wickets. Henry was released by the squad to play for Kent in County Cricket. The pacer pocketed figures worth 3/56.
If the recovery goes well then Henry could make a return against Trans-Tasman rival Australia in the Chappell-Hadlee ODI series. Australia will play host to the one-dayers with the matches set to take place on September 6, 8, and 11 at Cazaly's Stadium, Cairns.
Sears, who made his T20I against Bangladesh in 2021, has snapped up six scalps at 22.66. He is a promising pace option in Kiwi cricket, given he can clock speeds in excess of 140kmph. As for List A cricket, he has pocketed 28 wickets in 22 outings, averaging 32.82. He would be raring to make his debut in 50-over cricket.
New Zealand's ODI squad: Kane Williamson (captain), Finn Allen, Trent Boult, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Ben Sears, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee.
West Indies have a 30-28 win-loss record versus New Zealand in ODIs (NR: 7). They last won an ODI versus NZ in January 2014, besting the hosts by a 203-run margin. As for the bilateral, WI had clinched the 2012 home series (4-1). They leveled the 2013-14 series by 2-2. That was followed by a 3-0 drubbing on the Kiwi soil.
