Brett Randell took five wickets in five balls in March, and New Zealand have picked him for the last two ODIs against India

New Zealand have called up Brett Randell, an uncapped 31-year-old seamer, for the last two ODIs against India. Both are at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, on Friday, 13 November and Sunday, 15 November, and Randell is named for both.

India are 2-0 up after the third ODI in Hamilton was washed out without a ball bowled. New Zealand can no longer win the series, and one more India win settles it.

“Feels too good to be true, to be honest,” Randell said. “As a youngster growing up in New Zealand, playing cricket, you sort of dream of being in this position.”

Five in five at McLean Park

The reason his name rings a bell is March. Playing for Central Districts against Northern Districts in the Plunket Shield at McLean Park in Napier, Randell took five wickets in five balls. Nobody had done that in first-class cricket before. The five left Northern Districts on 9 for 5, and he finished with 7 for 25 from 11 overs. They were all out for 82, followed on and lost by an innings and 27 runs.

One of the five was Kristian Clarke, who blocked a ball that rolled back onto his stumps and went for a first-ball duck. Clarke made 103 when Northern Districts followed on. Eight months later the two are in the same New Zealand ODI squad. Clarke was called up early to cover for Blair Tickner in Hamilton.

Randell has taken 100 List A wickets since his debut for Northern Districts in January 2017, and he moved to Central Districts in 2022-23. He spent part of this year at Derbyshire and has just been playing for New Zealand A. His last white-ball game went badly: 0 for 76 in a match where 401 played 341.

“I pride myself on being accurate and doing something with the ball and getting something out of the wicket or in the air,” he said. He has not yet been told whether he plays on Friday. “If I do get out on the field, I’d be more than happy to make my debut.”

Clarkson back for the last game

Josh Clarkson has been recalled for Sunday’s fifth ODI. The allrounder has six ODIs behind him, the last of them against Bangladesh in April. Tickner is back for that game too, once his seven-day stand-down is up. He was hit on the helmet while batting in Wellington on 7 November.

Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson play on Friday and then leave for the Test camp, so neither is in the fifth-ODI squad. Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips are already in Wellington. The first Test starts at the Basin Reserve on 19 November.

Head coach Rob Walter coached both Randell and Clarkson at Central Districts. “We’re very pleased for Brett; he’s been a consistent performer in domestic cricket for some time now,” Walter said.

A thinner support staff too

The coaching group has been split as well. Bowling coach Jacob Oram, batting coach Luke Ronchi and strength and conditioning coach Chris Donaldson have gone to Wellington with the Test players. Northern Districts pathway coach Mitch Renwick and trainer Corey Mileys have come in for the last two ODIs.

Finn Allen should play his first ODI since 2023. The coaches have talked about using him as a power-hitter in the middle order instead of at the top, Cricinfo reported. For Randell, a debut on Friday would come at 31, nine years after his first List A game.

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