A grey Friday in the middle of winter produced the latest BLACKCAPS Test squad and if you're a Test cricket lover like myself, it would have perked up your day. The mere thought of our BLACKCAPS preparing to rock those whites again was enough to send me into a day-dreaming frenzy; the smell of lush grass, the sound of a red nut on willow, chirping fielders and even the sound of Brian Waddle's voice somehow found its way into the frame.

Our national Test cricket team are back and on top of that there's the inclusion of Jeet Raval and the return to the Test team of Ish Sodhi. Those are the two main talking points in this squad to venture to Africa for Tests against Zimbabwe and South Africa, but I couldn't fight the general feeling of anticipation. There's anticipation in seeing our BLACKCAPS side in whites yeah, but most of my anticipation stems from a strong squad, a squad that fills me with confidence, which hasn't always been the case.

It sure as heck hasn't been the case very often in the past 10-15 years and it hasn't quite been the case even in the past 12-18 months. The BLACKCAPS have certainly improved in the Test arena during this resurgent period but as I've been getting my multi-day cricket fix by following our kiwi lads in England's County cricket, I've been watching a selection of cricketers perform admirably in a competition where Test cricketers from around the world go to iron out any deficiencies, improving their game with a constant wave of quality cricket.

While Tim Southee and Trent Boult have been playing some other game and generally resting up, Neil Wagner and Matt Henry have been ripping through County batting line ups. Wagner's playing for Lancashire and has 28 wickets in 6 games at an average of 23.03 while Henry has been almost as hot, taking 19 wickets in 4 games at an average of 28.89. There's obviously nothing wrong with what Southee and Boult have been up to, it's just a mark of where kiwi cricket is at right now that we can send two of our seamers - both of whom haven't quite been certain selections in Test cricket - over to England and have them perform as such. 

Tom Latham has also done a fine job with Kent, scoring 257 runs in 4 games at an average of 51.40 and three half-centuries. Latham has shown that he's got the technique and mental ability to handle Test cricket, most importantly he passes the eye-test with flying colours -when you watch Latham he just looks like a Test opener. Latham is far from a finished product though and he's merely shown signs of a long Test career, a County stint at this current time is perfect for his development and to see him enjoy some success is perfect.

The runs from Latham in County cricket show his growth and possible improvement in Test cricket, while for Ross Taylor it's about ensuring that the runs keep flowing and that he shows what a class act he is with that GM blade. Sometimes I think we forget that Taylor is a world-class batsmen, possibly because he can be a tad inconsistent but I'm always going to be chuffed with a batting line up which includes Taylor and Kane Williamson.

Taylor has been playing for Sussex and in 6 games he has 264 runs at an average of 33, also with three half-centuries and when you also include Taylor's work for Sussex across all three formats in the past month, he's been in great nick. Taylor has those three 50s in County cricket, he's got a 93*, 1 and 50 in three T20 games along with a 50 and 9 in two 50-over games.

Taylor's scores since May 1st: 35, 62, 6, 11, 62, 93*, 54, 1, 51, 50, 9.

In selecting Jeet Raval, it appears as though there is now firm pressure on Martin Guptill to perform in the longer format. We're gunning to be the best Test cricket team in the world and a stuttering Guptill only holds us back, while a stroke-playing Guptill is a wonderful asset alongside Latham at the top of the order. Raval will apply pressure on Guptill and Raval thoroughly deserves his selection as he's only had one season in kiwi domestic cricket where he's averaged less than 40 (21.89 in 2010/11) since making his debut in 2008/09.

That's a solid effort from Raval but he's demanded selection in a nice run of form over the past three seasons, culminating in a strong showing last summer. Raval scored just one century in each of his first five seasons, he then hit three centuries in 2013/14, two centuries in 2014/15, then hitting four centuries last summer. Raval finished the summer with an average over 50 (58.76) for the first time since the end of his debut summer in domestic cricket.

The craziness offered by a free-flowing Guptill and the solid nature of Latham, along with their left/right combination is still the first option. Raval is there though, sniffing around to take that opening spot from his Suburbs New Lynn homie Guptill, as well as ensuring that Latham must perform himself.

It's understandable that people take note of Sodhi's selection after his slick work in the World T20 tournament. Like Raval though, Sodhi has demanded a recall through his Plunket Shield work as he is coming off his best season in domestic cricket since making his debut in 2012/13. Sodhi took 27 wickets last summer which is the most wickets he's taken in four Plunket Shield seasons after taking 20, 19 and 21 wickets in his previous three summers.

Sodhi is coming off a career-best Plunket Shield campaign, while bowling the least amount of deliveries of his four seasons so far. Sodhi bowled 1,196 deliveries last summer compared to 1,319, 1,495 and 1,499 while also taking two 5-wicket-hauls compared to just the one in each of his previous seasons.

As we get closer to the first Test on July 29, we'll ramp up the hype but I'm already feeling the hype. We're still seeing this BLACKCAPS Test team fine-tune a few aspects of their squad and their work on the field, we're also still a long way off where we want our BLACKCAPS to be and that's on top of the Test cricket rankings.