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BIRMINGHAM - Three months after the shock of his test debut, Grant Elliott is breathing a lot easier at the thought of donning New Zealand colours in tonight's second one-day cricket international at Edgbaston.
The Wellington allrounder was today confirmed for his ODI debut, ousting batsman James Marshall in the only change from New Zealand's 114-run defeat against England in Sunday's series opener in Durham.
South African-born Elliott was whistled up from London by chairman of selectors Sir Richard Hadlee on Monday after New Zealand's lack of allrounders was shown up by Jacob Oram's absence with a hamstring strain.
Elliott admitted he didn't feel ready when another Oram injury saw him summoned for the third test against England in Napier in March.
"I'm a lot more chilled out about it this time, at least I came over here expecting something like this might happen," he said.
"The test callup was totally out of the blue, it was a bit of a shock. I'd done well in one-day cricket and wasn't really thinking about tests."
Elliott, 29, was left off New Zealand Cricket's list of 20 centrally contracted players but was given a winter contract, along with six other fringe internationals.
He arrived in England with the national squad in April to cover for the Indian Premier League (IPL) absentees, then joined the Weybridge club in the Surrey championship.
His form has been solid, averaging around 90 with the bat and taking 14 wickets in six matches. Sunday was his fifth consecutive day of cricket, including an appearance for the Sussex second team and a charity game for the Africa Foundation at Sir John Paul Getty's private oval near London.
"I haven't been here long enough to know how all the guys are feeling but I'm very positive, we've got a strong squad of players and we should be up to beating England."
But thoughts of toppling England may not be Elliott's biggest worry, with the forecast for heavy rain in Birmingham casting series doubt over whether a match can be completed.
Captain Daniel Vettori said Oram could return for Saturday's third match in Bristol, but as a batsman only, meaning Elliott could play the rest of the five-match series.
Vettori said the rest of the bowling attack which conceded 307 for five at Durham would remain intact, and he was happy to give rookie Tim Southee another chance after his problems with overstepping and death bowling.
"From what we've seen for the last 3-4 months Tim's going to be a very good player and we've just got to get some games into him. I'd hate to judge him on just his first game," Vettori said.
Initial plans to shift Daniel Flynn to Marshall's spot at No 3 had been shelved, with Ross Taylor, Scott Styris and Flynn all moving up one place.
"This happens a lot when you're losing and changing sides, a guy who's new to the side gets chucked around. I'd prefer to see him stay at five or six and develop his game," Vettori said of Flynn.
Vettori said the onus was on himself and senior men Brendon McCullum, Styris and Kyle Mills to produce matchwinning efforts and inspire the largely inexperienced unit.
England's key men, notably man of the match Kevin Pietersen and captain Paul Collingwood, along with cameos from Owais Shah and Stuart Broad, set the example in Durham.
"We still have a belief we can win the series but we have to come out here tomorrow and win, then the momentum shifts immediately and we start taking confidence into all the games and England will start worrying about their performance."
New Zealand
Daniel Vettori (captain), Jamie How, Brendon McCullum, Ross Taylor, Scott Styris, Daniel Flynn, Grant Elliott, Gareth Hopkins, Kyle Mills, Tim Southee, Michael Mason.
- NZPA
