Injury-plagued spinner Daniel Vettori will miss New Zealand's tour of Sri Lanka, cricket chiefs said Thursday, forcing selectors to draft uncapped leggie Todd Astle into the 15-man Test squad. New Zealand Cricket said Vettori had failed to recover from an Achilles strain picked up at last month's World Twenty20 tournament, where the Black Caps where eliminated by eventual champions the West Indies.
The loss of New Zealand's most capped Test player is a major blow as the team prepares to tour a country renowned for spin-friendly wickets, leaving journeyman Jeetan Patel as its most experienced slow bowler with 15 Tests. Chief selector Kim Littlejohn was confident Astle, 26, the only new face in the Test squad, could perform at the top level if given the chance.
"He has the ability to contribute in all three facets of the game and deserves his opportunity after putting in consistent performances over a number of seasons," Littlejohn said. A separate 15-man limited overs squad for the tour included 12 players who featured in the World Twenty20 along with Trent Boult, Andrew Ellis and Tom Latham.
New Zealand will play two Tests, five one-dayers and one T20 in Sri Lanka between October 30 and November 29. New Zealand's 15-man Test and limited over squads for the tour Sri Lanka starting on October 30.
Test squad: Ross Taylor (captain), Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Daniel Flynn, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Chris Martin, Brendon McCullum, Rob Nicol, Jeetan Patel, Tim Southee, Kruger van Wyk, Neil Wagner, Kane Williamson.
Limited overs squad: Ross Taylor (captain), Trent Boult, Andrew Ellis, James Franklin, Roneel Hira, Rob Nicol, Tom Latham, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Adam Milne, Jacob Oram, Tim Southee, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson.
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