KEY POINTS:
South African-born allrounder Grant Elliot has bolted into the New Zealand test cricket frame for the first time after being included in a 13-man squad to play England in Hamilton from Wednesday.
Elliot, who learned of his promotion while playing for an Invitation 11 against the tourists in Dunedin today, joins recalled middle order batsman Ross Taylor and opener Jamie How as new additions from the squad that easily beat Bangladesh 2-0 in January.
Otago captain Craig Cumming makes way for the in-form How while Taylor takes over from a struggling Peter Fulton.
The designated test first drop at the start of the summer, Fulton scored just eight runs against England in four ODI innings.
He started his final audition against England on Tuesday with a 16-ball duck and 33 for an Otago Selection before making 23 for the Invitation 11 in Dunedin at University Oval on Thursday.
New Zealand Cricket selector Dion Nash said Fulton was unavailable for selection due to a recurrence of a right knee injury though he did take the field for the Invitation 11 side today.
He will be reassessed before the second test in Wellington which starts on March 13.
Elliot, considered unlucky not to make the Twenty20 World Cup squad in September, has played for Wellington since the 2005-06 season and has previously represented New Zealand A.
He has fashioned a solid first class record since making his debut from Transvaal in the 1996-97 season.
Elliot has subsequently scored 1506 runs at 27.38 with three centuries and eight 50s.
For Wellington this season he averages 23.42 with a best of 64 in the State Championship while in the domestic one-day competition he has superior stats of 323 runs at 64.60 and a top score of 91 not out.
He has 15 State Shield wickets at 20.33 and 5 at 32.40 in the four-day competition.
His selection chances were clearly enhanced by removing Ian Bell and Paul Collingwood cheaply on Thursday before scoring 28 in difficult conditions.
The 28-year-old from Johannesburg is the first South African-born player to be selected in a New Zealand test squad.
Nash said he was identified as a solid middle order batsman while he also had the ability to swing the ball, adding another option to a seam attack spearheaded by Chris Martin and Kyle Mills.
Bowler Iain O'Brien has retained his place after playing in the second test against Bangladesh at the Basin Reserve, his efforts in Dunedin sufficient to resist the challenge of Wellington teammate Mark Gillespie.
O'Brien made an unimpressive ODI debut against England in Napier but had more joy down south on wickets offering more assistance.
His haul of four for 34 on Thursday as England crumbled for 131 on the opening morning of the Invitation 11 match may have tipped the balance in his favour.
Jeetan Patel has been named as the second spinner though he may not feature depending on the pitch conditions at Seddon Park.
Fulton's demise means retirement-bound former captain Stephen Fleming will bat at three while Taylor has a chance to re-establish himself after a poor debut series in South Africa in November. Taylor made just 44 in four innings in the Republic as New Zealand slumped to two heavy test defeats.
How, who averages 14.55 in 10 test innings, replaces Cumming, who failed to make a mark against Bangladesh before his domestic form dipped.
In contrast How has been something of a revelation with a fine ODI series highlighted by a career-best 139 in the fourth match in Napier.
Two players were unavailable through injury. Central Districts pace bowler Michael Mason is still recovering from an arm muscle injury sustained during the second ODI in Hamilton earlier this month while Jesse Ryder is out for at least three months after injuring his hand when punching a glass panel in a Christchurch bar hours after New Zealand secured the ODI series 3-1.
New Zealand
Daniel Vettori (captain), Mathew Bell, Grant Elliot, Stephen Fleming, Jamie How, Chris Martin, Brendon McCullum, Kyle Mills, Iain O'Brien, Jacob Oram, Jeetan Patel, Mathew Sinclair, Ross Taylor.
- NZPA
