Ronchi To Lead New Zealand XI, Vincent Retires

Ronchi To Lead New Zealand XI, Vincent Retires

Luke Ronchi, pictured here in action for Australia, will captain the New Zealand XI against England in Queenstown

©REUTERS / Action Images

Wicket-keeper Luke Ronchi will captain the New Zealand XI which will take on England in a four-day tour game in Queenstown ahead of the three-match Test series.

Former Australian international Ronchi also played in the Twenty20 warm-ups against the tourists and experienced quick bowler Mark Gillespie is also selected.

The game gets underway on 27th February at the Queenstown Events Centre.

Gillespie takes his place as one of eight players in the side with international experience for New Zealand alongside Tom Latham, Hamish Rutherford, Dean Brownlie, Neil Wagner, James Neesham, Neil Broom and Corey Anderson.

"This game gives us a great opportunity to see how these youngsters cope with playing a Test side ranked at two in the world," General Manager National Selection Kim Littlejohn said.

One more player may be added to the squad prior to the match. The opening Test begins on 6th March in Dunedin.

New Zealand XI: Luke Ronchi (captain), Corey Anderson, Neil Broom, Dean Brownlie, Carl Cachopa, Mark Gillespie, Tom Latham, James Neesham, Hamish Rutherford, Ish Sodhi, Neil Wagner

In other news from New Zealand, former Black Caps opening batsman Lou Vincent has announced his retirement from the game.

He played 23 Tests, 102 One-Day Internationals and nine Twenty20 Internationals during a career in which he also represented Auckland, Lancashire, Northamptonshire, Sussex, Worcestershire, Midwest Rhinos and Khulna Royal Bengals as well as a spell in the ill-fated Indian Cricket League.

He was a member of New Zealand's 2003 and 2007 World Cup squads and the team that reached the semi-finals of the ICC World Twenty20 in 2007.

He scored a century on Test debut and still holds the record for the highest score by a New Zealander in an ODI of 172.

© Cricket World 2013