KEY POINTS:
NORTHAMPTON - New Zealand have been spared a battle with key England allrounder Andrew Flintoff after he lost the race to be fit for next month's one-day cricket series.
Flintoff's name was missing today from England's 14-man squad for a Twenty20 match and five one-day internationals next month as he struggles to recover from a side strain.
It means he won't make his return to international cricket until at least when South Africa arrive in England in July.
"Andrew is still recovering from a side strain and we would prefer to wait until he is 100 per cent fit before considering him for selection," England selector Geoff Miller said.
"We will be guided by the England medical team as to when the best time would be for him to return to international cricket. "
Wicketkeeper Tim Ambrose, who made his test debut in New Zealand in March, was the only uncapped ODI player included, at the expense of hard-hitting Phil Mustard.
Mustard was dropped after averaging 22.8 in 10 ODIs against Sri Lanka and New Zealand, including an impressive 83 from 74 balls in the tied match in Napier.
"Tim Ambrose has already shown that he has the temperament and the ability required to succeed in test cricket and his selection reflects our desire to use the same wicket-keeper in both the long and short forms of the game," Miller said.
The biggest question is who will open the batting with Alastair Cook, with Luke Wright the leading candidate after being used in a pinch-hitting role for his Sussex county.
Offspinner James Tredwell is the other player omitted from the Paul Collingwood-captained squad who toured New Zealand.
The only Twenty20 match is in Manchester on June 13, with the opening ODI at Chester-le-Street near Durham two days later.
England one-day squad
Paul Collingwood (captain), Tim Ambrose, James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Kevin Pietersen, Owais Shah, Ryan Sidebottom, Graeme Swann, Chris Tremlett, Luke Wright.
- NZPA
