Kiwi fast bowler Bennett raring to tour Bangladesh

AUCKLAND - New Zealand fast bowler Hamish Bennett has said that he hopes to use his domestic experience to his advantage during next month’s tour of Bangladesh.

Bennett has been included in the New Zealand squad for a five-match ODI series against Bangladesh, starting on October 5.

Since his debut for Canterbury, Bennett has taken 24 wickets in 21 one-day matches, and 99 wickets in 33 first-class matches. He was also impressive during New Zealand A’s recent tour of Australia.

“I’ve been lucky enough to have been on a lot of those winter trips for New Zealand teams and I think this selection is showing they are starting to pay off,” The New Zealand Herald quoted Bennett, as saying.

“My fitness is good, I’ve been training in Canterbury and doing weights and running and I’m raring to go,” he added.

The 23-year-old further credited former New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond and all-rounder Chris Cairns as being key in his development.

“You always hear the old cliche of guys saying ‘if only I knew what I know now when I was 20′. You can learn so much off other guys and I think I have done that,” Bennett said.

“Not only guys like Bondy (Shane Bond) and Cairnsy (Chris Cairns), who have played a lot at the top level, but the likes of Michael Sharpe and Stu Roberts, who were workhorses for years for Canterbury, have a lot of knowledge,” he added.

New Zealand squad to tour Bangladesh: Daniel Vettori (captain), Hamish Bennett, Grant Elliott, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Andy McKay, Kyle Mills, Jesse Ryder, Aaron Redmond, Tim Southee, Shanan Stewart, Ross Taylor, Daryl Tuffey, B.J. Watling and Kane Williamson. (ANI)