Henry Nicholls named in New Zealand A squad to face West Indies

Henry Nicholls has been added to New Zealand A squad to face West Indies in a three-day game, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) confirmed on Thursday.

A calf injury had forced Nicholls to miss the opening three rounds of the Plunket Shield, but he's on track to return this weekend against the Otago Volts in Alexandra, before getting an early look at West Indies from Friday, November 20, at John Davies Oval.

Devon Conway will also receive his first representative chance since becoming eligible to play for New Zealand in August this year.

The match will be the first of two red-ball games against the West Indies in Queenstown and forms the start of a five-game long-form sequence for New Zealand A, which will also face Pakistan A in two four-day games in December.

BLACKCAPS coach Gary Stead said it was going to be a busy season for New Zealand's elite cricketers.

"It's been a year like no other and we're very fortunate to be preparing for such an action-packed summer. The complexities of the international schedule, along with the size of the touring squads and the length of time they will spend in the country has enabled us to build a very strong A programme," said Stead.

New Zealand A will assemble in Queenstown next Wednesday with Bob Carter and Paul Wiseman leading the coaching staff.

New Zealand opens their international home summer against the West Indies at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday, November 27.

New Zealand A squad Joe Carter (Northern Districts), Dane Cleaver (Central Districts), Devon Conway (Wellington), Henry Cooper (Northern Districts), Jacob Duffy (Otag), Ken McClure (Canterbury), Cole McConchie (Canterbury, capt), Henry Nicholls (Canterbury), Michael Rae (Otago), Rachin Ravindra (Wellington), Michael Rippon (Otago), Ben Sears (Wellington), Sean Solia (Auckland), Nathan Smith (Otago), Blair Tickner (Central Districts), Will Young (Central Districts).

( With inputs from ANI )