New Zealand team to Zimbabwe

Assuming the tour goes ahead, the side will be:

Test matches: Stephen Fleming (captain) Daniel Vettori (vice-captain) Nathan Astle, Shane Bond, Craig Cumming, James Franklin, Hamish Marshall, James Marshall, Chris Martin, Brendon McCullum, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Scott Styris, Lou Vincent, Paul Wiseman.

ODIs: Stephen Fleming (captain), Daniel Vettori (vice-captain), Andre Adams, Nathan Astle, Shane Bond, Chris Cairns, Hamish Marshall, Brendon McCullum, Craig McMillan, Jacob Oram, Kyle Mills, Jeetan Patel, Scott Styris, Lou Vincent.

Pieces of good news have been highlighted. Jeetan Patel is the bolter in the side, the Wellington offie making it on the basis of a handful of domestic one-dayers last summer (or at least I hope its that and not his iffy first-class record).

Its interesting to note that Craig McMillan made the one-day side and not the test team. I think the selectors are still in limbo over the Canterbury basher.

I'm not entirely sure how Kyle "bowling average of 91" Mills made the line-up, but can only assume its because we need someone around if Bond or Oram break down again. I understand Mills is a good team man so he can presumably keep them company at the hospital. Anyway, I sure as hell hope he hasn't been picked for his bowling.

It took me a wee while to realise that we are taking a squad of 15 for the tests. Two spinners, five pace men, a 'keeper and seven specialist batsmen. Doesn't that have a nice balance to it? Okay, so three players won't even make the bench in each test match, but at least we are not going to suffer too badly if injuries start cropping up.

Sigh. We are past the longest day, cricket teams are being picked and the sun is shining. I can almost smell the freshly mown pitches of summer already.