'Homecoming' for van Beek, Klaassen as Netherlands name squad for New Zealand tour

Logan van Beek, who has won back-to-back Super Smash titles with Wellington Firebirds, and Fred Klaassen, who has also played club cricket in New Zealand, have both been named in Netherlands' squad for the upcoming series of three ODIs and a solitary T20I in New Zealand.

Christchurch-born van Beek is now a regular with Wellington in New Zealand domestic circuit. He has played in New Zealand for over a decade, but this will be the first time he will take on New Zealand in New Zealand as an international. Klaassen, meanwhile, was born in Sussex, but he was raised in New Zealand before he forged his international career with Netherlands.

Henry Nicholls was looking forward to going up against his old Canterbury colleague and St Andrew's College team-mate van Beek next month. "From a one-day point of view, we haven't played much in the last 12 months. So, it will obviously be cool to get back into that format and former school and team-mate...," Nicholls said. "It'll certainly be an occasion he (van Beek) is excited for and likewise for the one-day group."

Pieter Seelaar will lead the 15-man squad, which includes a new face in Shariz Ahmad. Ahmad, the 18-year-old left-arm fingerspinner has been promoted to the senior squad after impressing in the Under-19 World Cup qualifier last year. Vikramjit Singh and Aryan Dutt, Shariz's team-mates at the qualifier, have also found places in the senior group for the tour.

Netherlands welcomed back Stephan Myburgh and Max O'Dowd, who were not part of the squad for their most recent ODI series against Afghanistan in Doha in January. Fast bowler Vivian Kingma, who has been banned by the ICC for four ODIs/T20Is for ball-tampering, isn't in the squad.

"New Zealand represents a fantastic challenge for us as they have been one of the best white-ball teams in world cricket over the past five years," Netherlands coach Ryan Campbell said in a statement. "Again, we have taken the opportunity to take some of our best young talents away with us and bringing back Vikramjit Singh is really exciting.

"He will be joined by U19s team-mate Shariz Ahmad, who gets his first opportunity with the Dutch national side after doing well at the U19s World Cup Qualifiers. Those two will be joined by U19s teammate Aryan Dutt who gets another opportunity after bowling well against Afghanistan."

The tour will begin with the T20I in Napier on March 25. It will be followed by the three ODIs, which will be part of the World Cup Super League, where Netherlands are currently placed last, with just two wins from seven matches.

New Zealand are second from bottom, but they have played only three Super league ODIs so far, and have won all three. The white-ball series is likely to clash with the start of the IPL, which means the home side will miss some of their premier players.

Netherlands squad: Pieter Seelaar (capt), Stephan Myburgh, Max O'Dowd, Scott Edwards (wk), Bas de Leede, Vikramjit Singh, Aryan Dutt, Logan van Beek, Philippe Boissevain, Brandon Glover, Fred Klaassen, Ryan Klein, Clayton Floyd, Boris Gorlee, Shariz Ahmad