Cricket: Numbers say it all as Munro gets another chance

Colin Munro. Photo / Photosport

With Colin Munro, the numbers talk, and that's why he's been given another chance to cement himself as a short-form international player.

The Auckland left-hander is in the New Zealand T20 squad for two matches against Sri Lanka, at Mt Maunganui and Eden Park on January 7 and 10.

He has been an in-and-out selection, with one test at Port Elizabeth in 2013, 12 ODIs and 18 T20s.

Munro has not quite been able to nail a spot.

The adjective aggressive doesn't really do justice to the belligerent batting he produces in all forms.

His T20 strike rate is 138.82; he topped the Georgie Pie Super Smash aggregates with 366 runs at 40.66, spearheading Auckland's run to the title this month, with a strike rate of a whopping 175.96.

"His statistics are so compelling we just didn't feel we could leave him out," national selector Gavin Larsen said yesterday.

"His numbers speak for themselves, he's had a couple of fantastic seasons at domestic level and he has seriously shot the lights out."

The 28-year-old scores quickly no matter the format. His first-class strike rate is 93.27, in which he averages 48.2. He has only one speed and Larsen believes that could be a big advantage.

"The game is played in a pretty fast fashion these days. We'll definitely focus hard on his T20 game at this stage but there's no reason why Colin couldn't be considered across the formats," Larsen added.

The other points of interest in the T20 squad are the return of World Cup pair Grant Elliott and Corey Anderson.

Elliott's semifinal winning six off Dale Steyn at Eden Park remains possibly the most indelible image of New Zealand's charge to the cup final.

He fractured a bone just above his wrist training for Wellington in November.

"We all know what Grant can offer in explosive ability, but he also has a smart head on his shoulders," Larsen said.

Anderson, whose last international was the test at Lord's in May, returns solely as a batsman for now. He is getting over another frustrating back complaint. Anderson has a well-deserved reputation as a golden arm, a partnership breaker, and his 50 ODI wickets in 35 games at 24.8 apiece are testimony to that.

The fast bowling spots have gone to Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Mitch McClenaghan and the rapid Adam Milne, to provide a point of difference.

Larsen was at pains to point out this is not a locked-in squad to carry on to the World T20 in India in March. Three more T20s against Pakistan will help clarify picks for the selectors.

New Zealand ODI squad

For the last two games against Sri Lanka:
Brendon McCullum (c), Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, Mitchell Santner, Luke Ronchi, Doug Bracewell, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Adam Milne, Mitch McClenaghan, Trent Boult (fifth game only).

New Zealand T20 squad for two games against Sri Lanka:
Williamson (c), Guptill, Ronchi, Taylor, Colin Munro, Grant Elliott, Corey Anderson, Santner, Southee, Sodhi, Milne, McClenaghan, Boult.