Allen and Phillips to debut in opening ODI against Ireland; Milne out injured

New Zealand batters Finn Allen and Glenn Phillips are set to make their ODI debuts, in the opening game of the three-match series against Ireland on Sunday. However, New Zealand will be without fast bowler Adam Milne and left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner.

While Milne has a tight Achilles that's troubling him, Santner joined the squad only on Saturday after he had tested positive for Covid last Sunday, and couldn't depart from New Zealand with the rest of the squad.

Shane Jurgensen, New Zealand's head coach for the Ireland tour, also confirmed Henry Nicholls would bat in the middle order for them.

"Excited to announce there's going to be two guys representing New Zealand for the first time in one-day internationals: Finn Allen, who'll be opening the batting, and Glenn Phillips in the middle order," Jurgensen said in a video posted by NZC on Twitter. "Both players have done extremely well in the T20 arena and it's a fantastic opportunity to represent New Zealand tomorrow. Really excited to see how they come out in the first game of the series."

New Zealand are touring Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands without a number of first-choice players such as regular captain Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Devon Conway. While Tom Latham is standing in as captain, Jurgensen is filling in in the absence of head coach Gary Stead.

After the Ireland leg of the tour, Latham, Nicholls, Will Young and Matt Henry will also leave the squad, which will then be led by Santner.

The three ODIs - which will count for Super League points - will be played in Malahide on July 10, 12 and 15, followed by the T20Is in Belfast on July 18, 20 and 22. The squads will then fly out to Scotland for two T20Is and an ODI at the end of the month before two more T20Is in the Netherlands in the first week of August.

ODI squad for Ireland: Tom Latham (capt & wk), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Dane Cleaver (wk), Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Adam Milne, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner, Will Young

Squad for Ireland T20Is, Scotland and the Netherlands series: Mitchell Santner (capt), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Dane Cleaver (wk), Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Michael Rippon, Ben Sears, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner