New Zealand Announced Experienced Squad for Australia Tour

Auckland: New Zealand have settled on an experienced line-up for their three Tests in Australia in November and December, with no new faces in the touring squad named Friday.

The 15-man selection sees the return of several players including captain Brendon McCullum and bowling spearhead Tim Southee who missed the recent tour of Africa.

Ross Taylor, Trent Boult and Corey Anderson are also back in the side after recovering from injury.

Anderson is one of two all-rounders, along with Jimmy Neesham, as New Zealand tweak the balance of their squad for the Test campaign after seven consecutive series without defeat.

Coach Mike Hesson said the ability of Anderson and Neesham at the bowling crease persuaded the selectors to carry only four frontline fast bowlers -- Southee, Boult, Matt Henry and Doug Bracewell.

Mark Craig is the sole spinner in the squad while Luke Ronchi has retained his place as the back-up wicketkeeper to BJ Watling.

The first Test against Australia starts in Brisbane on November 5.

Hesson and selector Gavin Larsen have also named a New Zealand A squad to play four-day and one-day games against Sri Lanka A in New Zealand next month. The one-day series includes four matches from October 5 to 13, and the four-day squad then plays two games from October 17 to 27. Hamish Rutherford will play in the first two one-dayers before joining the Test squad for a pink-ball trial match in Hamilton on October 8-9.

New Zealand Test squad: Brendon McCullum (captain), Corey Anderson, Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Mark Craig, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, James Neesham, Luke Ronchi (wk), Hamish Rutherford, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, BJ Watling (wk), Kane Williamson

New Zealand A one-day squad against Sri Lanka A: Tom Blundell, Michael Bracewell, Jacob Duffy, Andrew Mathieson, Henry Nicholls, Ed Nuttall, Michael Pollard, Hamish Rutherford, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Ben Wheeler, George Worker, Will Young

New Zealand A four-day squad vs Sri Lanka A: Todd Astle, Michael Bracewell, Dean Brownlie, Derek de Boorder, Jacob Duffy, Colin Munro, Henry Nicholls, Ed Nuttall, Jeet Raval, Mitchell Santner, Neil Wagner, Ben Wheeler, Will Young

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