By NZPA staff
Auckland, March 5 NZPA - The New Zealand cricket selectors threw a curve ball today in naming an untested opening pair for the first test against West Indies starting here on Thursday.
Coach John Bracewell named the 13-man squad for the first of three tests with the major talking point being the opening combination of Jamie How and Hamish Marshall.
How will make his debut, while Marshall, who has only regained some form late in the summer is a recognised middle-order batsman.
The surprise omission was that of incumbent test opener Lou Vincent who scored a century in the fourth one-day match against West Indies in Napier on Wednesday.
Less than 12 months ago Vincent scored a double-century against Sri Lanka and also made 92 in his last test innings as opener against Zimbabwe.
Bracewell said Vincent did not want to be considered as an opening batsman and wanted to play in the middle-order, but they could not accommodate him.
Canterbury batsman Peter Fulton, who made his one-day debut in December alongside How, will also gain his first test at Eden Park.
The remainder of the squad is the nucleus of the side which won the one-day series 4-1 after last night's three-wicket victory by the tourists.
Pace bowler Chris Martin has rejoined the squad while offspinner Jeetan Patel has pushed out incumbent Paul Wiseman for the second spinner's position.
Squad: Stephen Fleming (captain), Jamie How, Hamish Marshall, Peter Fulton, Nathan Astle, Scott Styris, Brendon McCullum, James Franklin, Kyle Mills, Daniel Vettori, Jeetan Patel, Shane Bond, Chris Martin.
Two players will be omitted on the morning of the first test to play domestic cricket.
