WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Former captain Daniel Vettori has been included in New Zealand’s 14-man squad to play the first of three one-day internationals against South Africa on Tuesday.
The 35-year-old left-arm spinner played the most recent of his 275 one-dayers for New Zealand against England in June last year. He has since been side-lined by an ankle injury.
Vettori bowled 10 overs for a New Zealand XI which played Scotland last week to satisfy national coach Mike Hesson belief that he is ready for a recall.
Batsmen Dean Brownlie and Tom Latham have also been recalled to the New Zealand squad in place of Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson, who are injured. Taylor is expected to miss the entire series with a calf muscle strain while Williamson will miss the first match at Tauranga with a wrist injury.
“Tom had a very good tour to the West Indies with the test team and also impressed in the warm-up match in Lincoln (Christchurch), while Dean was in strong form on the recent NZA tour to the UK,” Hesson said.
The 30-year-old Australian-born Brownlie last played a one-day international for New Zealand in the West Indies in July 2012 while Latham, 22, made his most recent ODI appearance against Sri Lanka in November last year.
Hesson said Vettori had been “training the house down” since his return from injury.
Fast bowler Tim Southee has also been passed fit after not being considered for the New Zealand XI’s rained-out 50 overs match against Ireland on Saturday. He leads a New Zealand attack which includes Trent Boult, who played his most-recent ODI in February last year, and Matt Henry who took 4-38 on debut against India in January.
The three-match one-day series serves as a warm-up for both New Zealand and South Africa for the World Cup in New Zealand and Australia early next year.
“South Africa are a very consistent outfit in all forms, deservedly ranked second in one day cricket and have world-class players throughout their line-up,” Hesson said.
“We’ve never played international cricket this early in the season so the conditions will be challenging and it’s hard to know how the new ground at (Tauranga’s) Bay Oval will shape up.
“But both teams will be hungry to get their Cricket World Cup preparations off to a good start.”
