Symonds cleared for New Zealand tour

Andrew Symonds has been cleared to tour New Zealand after tests showed the Achilles injury that ruled him out of the second VB Series final was minor. After undergoing diagnostic scans on his right foot in Brisbane today, Symonds was relieved the problem was not as bad as he originally thought.

The news should also come as a relief to the selectors after the withdrawal of Shane Watson with a side strain. However, Trevor Hohns, the chairman of selectors, has delayed naming the one-day squad for the five-match tour by a day and said it would be released on Thursday.

The form of Symonds, who scored 91 in the first final, had finally picked up following a horror patch that included five ducks in six innings, and he said it was tough watching the second match. "With the thought of being sidelined even longer hovering around in the back of my mind, it made things even worse," he said. "This is a huge weight off my shoulders. My form started to improve at the beginning of the finals series in Melbourne, so should I be selected for this tour, I'll just try to pick up from where I left off."

Dr Trefor James, the Cricket Australia medical officer, said the injury was progressing well and Symonds would be reviewed again next week. The first one-day international begins at Wellington on February 19.