Canning to replace Astle at Napier

The New Zealand selectors have called up Tama Canning, the Auckland allrounder, to replace Nathan Astle for the final one-dayer against Australia in Napier on Saturday.

Astle damaged the AC joint in his right shoulder while fielding today and though he stood an outside chance of playing the game at Napier the selectors thought it best to rest him and have him fully fit for the first Test, starting at Christchurch on March 10.

New Zealand are likely to use Craig Cumming as the replacement for Astle at the top of the order while Canning will bat in the middle order and chip in with his lively medium pace.

1 Stephen Fleming (capt), 2 Craig Cumming, 3 Hamish Marshall, 4 Craig McMillan, 5 Chris Cairns, 6 Tama Canning, 7 Brendon McCullum, 8 Lance Hamilton, 9 Jeff Wilson, 10 Daniel Vettori, 11 Kyle Mills, 12 James Marshall