Nash and Vettori return to CLEAR Black Caps for One-Day International tri-series against Sri Lanka and India

The New Zealand selection panel of Sir Richard Hadlee (chairman), Ross Dykes, Brian McKechnie and David Trist (coach) has today named the following CLEAR Black Caps team to contest the ODI tri-series with India and Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka next month:

Stephen Fleming (c) (State Wellington Firebirds)
Nathan Astle (Canterbury)
Grant Bradburn (State Northern Knights)
James Franklin (State Wellington Firebirds)
Chris Harris (Canterbury)
Craig McMillan (Canterbury)
Kyle Mills (State Auckland Aces)
Dion Nash (State Auckland Aces)
Jacob Oram (State Central Stags)
Adam Parore (State Auckland Aces)
Mathew Sinclair (State Central Stags)
Daryl Tuffey (State Northern Knights)
Daniel Vettori (State Northern Knights)
Lou Vincent (State Auckland Aces)

Unavailable due to injury were Chris Cairns and Scott Styris. Roger Twose advised the selectors that he was unavailable to tour.

The selectors have also named five players on stand-by should they be required. These are Chris Nevin, Paul Wiseman, Brooke Walker, Shayne O'Connor and Andre Adams.

Sir Richard Hadlee said the selection panel had named a strong and experienced side.

"In this team we have a core of experienced mature cricketers such as Fleming, Astle, Parore, McMillan, and Nash; and a number of newer players who are progressing satisfactorily at international level in Vincent, Oram, Tuffey and Franklin.

"There are seven all-rounders in the side, two specialist spin bowlers, and the-two specialist pace bowlers are Tuffey and Franklin. We also have an exciting inner-circle field featuring Harris, Vincent and Sinclair. In fact it is an excellent fielding side. In all the panel has aimed for a balanced team selected with Sri Lankan conditions in mind."

Sir Richard said there was competition for places in the side with all five of the stand-by players serious contenders for inclusion.

"It was heartening for the selectors to have serious competition for places, particularly among the bowlers. There is little between the records of Paul Wiseman and Grant Bradburn for instance. Both players have been tried in recent times and neither has cemented a permanent place in the side. For the Sri Lanka tour the panel has named Bradburn principally on the strength of his good form last summer and his experience. Paul Wiseman however remains very much in the selection frame.

"Similarly Shayne O'Connor was unlucky to miss selection on this occasion. The panel has decided to continue with James Franklin while Kyle Mills has been rewarded for his encouraging performances in Sharjah."

Hadlee said the selection panel was conscious of the long season ahead and the need to have a number of players capable of moving into the CLEAR Black Caps.

"We are facing another long season which begins with this tour to Sri Lanka and continues with barely a break through to the tour of the West Indies in April/May next year. Recent history suggests that we are likely to need more than 20 players across an international season of this duration and intensity. The players on stand-by have been asked to be ready should they be required due to injury during this tour to Sri Lanka but they also figure significantly in our plans for the next ten months."

Dion Nash and Daniel Vettori return to the CLEAR Black Caps after injury. Both have been cleared fit by New Zealand Cricket's medical panel. Both players have been training hard and gradually building up their bowling workload.

"Dion and Daniel have been given a clean bill of health by the medical panel. The selectors will be looking for Dion to contribute as a bowler and a middle order batsman."

Sir Richard clarified comments he made earlier this week about Nash's degree of fitness.

"Dion has described his bowling in-training as being at an intensity of 80%, however over the next four weeks before leaving for Sri Lanka it is anticipated that he will continue to improve his intensity levels. In fact Dion is no different in this regard to other bowlers. At this stage of the season all bowlers would be bowling around 80% and looking to increase their intensity to peak in three or four weeks time," Hadlee said.

The CLEAR Black Caps leave for Sri Lanka on Friday 13 July.

The first international match is against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Wednesday 18 July.