Astle injury not serious

The back pain that kept Nathan Astle out of the New Zealand team which opened its tour of Australia against New South Wales today is not expected to keep him out of the first Test that starts in Brisbane next Thursday.

Astle has been suffering from lower back pain since the beginning of the week. While he could have played, John Bracewell, the coach, said that rest was a better option. "It's just a matter of giving it time to settle down as we look ahead to the first Test match," he said. "With time and some treatment he will be right for the Test series and there is nothing to suggest anything other than that."

Stephen Fleming also missed the tour game with a virus, but he too is expected to be fit to take on an Australian side brimming with confidence after their 2-1 defeat of India in India.