Ryder, Southee back to face Australia

New Zealand have recalled the batsman Jesse Ryder and the swing bowler Tim Southee from injuries in the 13-man squad to tour Australia for two Tests in December.

The team features 10 of the players who took part in the Test match against Zimbabwe earlier this month, with the young paceman Trent Boult in the squad after recovering from a stress fracture of the back.

Ryder and Southee missed the Zimbabwe Test, but are on course to be fit in time for the first match of the visit to Australia, a four-day match against Australia A in Brisbane from November 24.

Southee was out of action due to a knee cartilage problem, and the national selection manager Kim Littlejohn had said that his recovery would be carefully managed to ensure he was fit for the matches against Australia.

A calf strain caused Ryder to miss Zimbabwe, prompting the captain Ross Taylor to suggest the left-hander might give up his part-time bowling.

Littlejohn said the squad may yet be bolstered with another seamer, pending domestic performances. The batsman BJ Watling will join the tour later than the rest in order to play another match for the Northern Knights against the Otago Volts.

"In choosing our squad we decided to go with 13 players and will consider adding another seamer before the first Test," Littlejohn said. "That will largely depend on how the players pull up after the warm-up match.

"It is pleasing to provide Trent with an opportunity. He is a promising young bowler and deserves his place in the squad after impressing at the NZC Fast Bowling Camp during the winter and making a strong start to the Plunket Shield.

"We have decided to allow BJ Watling to play in the third round of Plunket Shield to give him maximum game time. We did not plan on selecting him for the warm-up match against Australia A and feel it is more beneficial to keep him playing cricket.

"The side for the First-Class warm-up fixture against Australia A will be chosen from the remaining 12 players."

Jeetan Patel, the offspinner, was the major omission from the squad, the selectors preferring to name an extra pace bowler for the early season series.

The first Test of the series is in Brisbane from December 1 to 5.

Squad: Ross Taylor (capt), Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Dean Brownlie, Martin Guptill, Chris Martin, Brendon McCullum, Jesse Ryder, Tim Southee, Daniel Vettori, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson, Reece Young.