Mills out of development tour

Kyle Mills won't be making the tour to Australia due to an ankle problem © Getty Images Enlarge

Kyle Mills has pulled out of New Zealand's World Cup development tour to Australia so he can have surgery to correct an ankle injury. His place has been taken by Joseph Yovich, the Northern Districts seamer, on the trip for those players on the fringes of selection for the World Cup.

Mills was troubled by the ankle problem during the recent tour of South Africa and chose to take this opportunity to ensure he is back to full fitness in time for the next New Zealand season and build-up to the World Cup.

Yovich, 29, has been a solid performer at domestic level for a number of the seasons and in the 2005-06 season he took 22 wickets at 36.59 in first-class competition and 12 wickets at 28.58 in the one-day format. A batting average of 28 means he can be classed as an allrounder at state level.

There are two teams for the development tour with Peter Fulton and Craig McMillan the captains. Players who have recently been left out of the New Zealand side such as James Marshall, Lou Vincent and Mathew Sinclair have the chance to press their claims.

Team One Peter Fulton (capt), James Marshall, Graham Aldridge, Brendan Diamanti, Mark Gillespie, Jamie How, Michael Mason, Nathan McCullum, Peter McGlashan, Warren McSkimming, Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor, Lou Vincent

Team Two Craig McMillan (capt), Matthew Bell, Hamish Bennett, Gareth Hopkins, Bruce Martin, Chris Martin, Rob Nicol, Mark Orchard, Michael Papps, Jeetan Patel, Mathew Sinclair, Richard Sherlock, Joseph Yovich