Veteran Black Sox captain Nathan Nukunuku heads a 32-strong national training squad.
Veteran infielder Brad Rona and pitcher-utility Karl Gollan have retired, but the remaining 15 gold medallists involved in the Black Sox’s record seventh world championship victory at Whitehorse, Canada in July will take part in the Czech series on February 10-11 at Albany.
The squad includes captain Nathan Nukunuku, who is bidding to attend a record seventh world championships tournament in 2019.
Sorenson and his selection panel have also added a clutch of promising younger players, including Canterbury utility Reilly Makea and Auckland catcher Harrison Valk, who are still eligible for the 2018 Junior Black Sox under-19 world championship team.
“We are quite excited by the young talent coming through,” said Sorenson, who added the Black Sox were building depth in most positions.
Former Junior Black Sox standout Daniel Chapman (Auckland) and left-hander Eru Drage (North Harbour) – who have yet to play for the Black Sox – join 2017 world championships pitchers Nik Hayes (Hutt Valley), Josh Pettett (Wellington) and Campbell Gibson (Auckland).
The other uncapped players include Valk, Makea and his Papanui and Canterbury teammates Jackson Watt (outfield) and Callum Bishop (infield), infielders Dante Matakatea (Wellington), Zac Boyd (Wellington) and Rhys Evans (Auckland) and outfielders Bradley Bennett (Auckland) and Vinnie Harris (North Harbour).
Wellington infielder Jerome Raemaki, who missed the 2017 world championships after knee surgery, returns for the trial series.
Sorenson said Raemaki and Auckland outfielder Ben Enoka, who was side-lined for most of the tournament in Canada with a leg problem, were “not quite 100 per cent” fit, but would be by the time the trial rolled around.
The players will assemble in Auckland on Thursday February 8 for a training camp on Friday February 9.
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