Cricket: Black Caps selector Gavin Larsen defends rest policy

Kane Williamson will be rested and play just one of the one day matches against the West Indies. Photo / Photosport

Black Caps chief selector Gavin Larsen has defended the team's decision to implement a rest policy for the upcoming series against the West Indies.

Captain Kane Williamson and fast-bowler Tim Southee will both be rested and will only play the first game of the three match series in Whangarei on Wednesday next week.

The decision to rest Williamson and Southee this early in the season has caused fans and commentators to question the selection policy.

Larsen said he understood where the public was coming from but felt it was a decision that was needed given the long summer of cricket.

"We really strongly felt that on balance we needed to give, in particular our guys that are gonna probably play the three formats across the season, give them a week away at some stage from about mid-December through to about mid-January," Larsen told Newstalk ZB.

"And we tried to stagger it and we really felt that to give ourselves the best opportunity to keep them fresh and also for us to test players — which is a really important point here — that it had to happen earlier rather than later."

Larsen also said the decision was discussed with the senior players and there was consensus that it was in the best interests of all players.

"We sat down with all the senior players ... and had a really good conversation on this particular subject," he said. "There was absolute consensus that it was in the best interests of all the players particularly those who are going to be playing all three formats across the course of the season.

"We're going to be giving opportunities to any number, I think, of fringe players through the summer which is actually gonna be really exciting."

The bigger picture of the 2019 World Cup was also a factor in their decision, said Larsen.
"We've got a really good opportunity this summer in white-ball cricket to expose players and to test players in positions.

"I am talking about the George Workers and the Todd Astles and the Neil Brooms; guys that have all had just short opportunities in the recent past. Here's an opportunity to really know at the end of this season where we stand with those players."