Basseterre (St Kitts), July 14 :  Fast bowler Tim Southee has been drafted into the New Zealand squad for the two-Test series against the West Indies starting later this month.

The right arm pacer had been originally named in the Twenty20 and One-day International squads but has now been named to replace Mark Gillespie, who has been ruled out with injury.

"Tim has impressed with the way he bowled in the one-day series so far and we have seen an improvement from where he was at the end of the home summer," said Kim Littlejohn, New Zealand's national selection manager.

"He's a like-for-like replacement for Mark in terms of the type of bowler he is and his ability to unsettle the opposition batsmen with pace and bounce."

The 23-year-old Southee has played 17 Tests and 58 ODIs, in a career spanning four years.

New Zealand face the West Indies in the first Test in Antigua from July 25-29 and the second Test in Jamaica from August 2-6.

© IANS