Fulton to have knee surgery

Peter Fulton will miss New Zealand's tour of South Africa next month after suffering a knee injury. Lou Vincent has replaced Fulton in the 15-man squad for the two Tests starting on November 8 and November 16.

Fulton will have surgery on his injured right knee but New Zealand have not ruled out the possibility that he will be available for the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy matches in Australia in December. Fulton himself was even more optimistic and would like to be in contention for the one-day series in South Africa that follows the Tests.

"We'll just have to wait and see on that," Fulton told the Press. "I'm not really too sure what the rehab time and stuff will be." His niggling problem had troubled him before the ICC World Twenty20 and he described it as "a little bit of wear and tear around the back of the knee cap". "It's just been pretty painful, in the field especially and running between wickets," he said."

With Craig Cumming and Michael Papps likely to open, the change means Vincent might get the opportunity to bat in his preferred position in the middle order, if he is chosen for either match.

Vincent has not played Test cricket since August 2005, when he was used as an opener against Zimbabwe and made 92 at Bulawayo. The last time he batted in the middle order he made 224 in his team's comprehensive innings victory over Sri Lanka at Wellington in April 2005.