Nash and Vettori to play first match
New Zealand Cricket - 15 October 2001

Daniel Vettori will play his first four-day cricket in 12 months, while Dion Nash and Shayne O'Connor play their first serious cricket this year when they take the field against a Queensland Second XI tomorrow.

Vettori and Nash are both returning from back injuries sustained during the winter tour to Zimbabwe in September 2000, while O'Connor suffered a knee injury which saw him miss all cricket from January until his return for the State Otago Volts against the New Zealand Cricket Academy last week.

As the tour opener is not a first class match the two teams have nominated 12 players.

The side named for the first match in the CLEAR Black Caps extended tour of Australia is:

Stephen Fleming (c)
Mark Richardson
Matthew Bell
Mathew Sinclair
Nathan Astle
Craig McMillan
Adam Parore
Dion Nash
Daniel Vettori
Chris Martin
Shayne O'Connor
Daryl Tuffey

The remaining squad members to sit out this match are Glen Sulzberger and Lou Vincent. Chris Cairns is due to join the team in Canberra for the second tour match against an ACT Invitation XI.

Coach, Denis Aberhart, said: "The benefits of this tour opener not being a first-class match is that we can agree to play 12. This will allow us to give as many players as possible competitive cricket.

"We have decided to play an extra seam bowler rather than an extra spin bowler or batsman because we expect hot weather and we can more easily manage the bowlers' workload in what will be the players' first outing on grass."

He said the team has enjoyed excellent practice facilities in Brisbane and the players are looking forward to match play.

"We don't know anything about the side we are playing but understand that it is a mixture of a Queensland Second XI and a Queensland Academy of Sport side. After a couple of days practice the players are really looking forward to getting the tour underway," Aberhart said.

© New Zealand Cricket


Teams Australia, New Zealand.
Players/Umpires Daniel Vettori, Dion Nash, Shayne O'Connor, Stephen Fleming, Mark Richardson, Matthew Bell, Mathew Sinclair, Nathan Astle, Craig McMillan, Adam Parore, Chris Martin, Daryl Tuffey, Glen Sulzberger, Lou Vincent, Chris Cairns, Denis Aberhart.
Tours New Zealand in Australia