Tuffey in fitness battle for Champions Trophy

Daryl Tuffey, the New Zealand fast bowler, will find out in the next few days whether he will be fit to play in the ICC Champions Trophy in England next month.

Tuffey, 26, had a difficult Test and one-day tour of England, struggling with thigh and knee injuries, and he now faces an anxious wait to see if he will be fit to make the one-day tournament, which starts on September 8.

There are also fitness worries with Chris Cairns, who has a sore ankle, and Kyle Mills, who is struggling with a side strain. However, Lindsay Crocker, the New Zealand team manager, was confident they would be fit to travel. He said: "I'd expect them to get through, but Daryl is being thoroughly checked over."

The New Zealand squad is due to arrive in England on September 5, and they will have the chance to warm up with matches against Somerset and Sri Lanka before their opening game against United States at The Oval on September 10.