Cricket: Franklin set for recall, Vettori still in frame

8.00am - By MARK GEENTY

NOTTINGHAM - James Franklin is set for his first cricket test in three years while injured spinner Daniel Vettori remains an outside chance to play as New Zealand try to halt a 0-3 England series whitewash here.

Left-arm swing bowler Franklin, of Wellington, took a full part in training at a sweltering Trent Bridge today after being called in from league cricket in Blackburn to replace the injured Shane Bond.

New Zealand coach John Bracewell wouldn't confirm his thinking but Franklin appears the best option to add something different to an under pressure bowling attack, perhaps at the expense of Daryl Tuffey.

"A left-armer may be handy. Without a spin option if Dan doesn't make it, that may be our best option in terms of giving us some sort of variety to take 20 wickets," Bracewell said of Franklin, 23, who played his only two tests against Pakistan in 2001 when he took best figures of four for 26 in Hamilton.

A lengthy batting session with captain Stephen Fleming at training suggested Franklin was right in the frame.

Vettori remained at the team hotel along with the injured Michael Papps today, who was ruled out of the third test with his broken left little finger.

Pacemen Tuffey, Chris Martin and Chris Cairns were also given a rest, although Cairns had a hectic day of interviews ahead of his 62nd and final test at his former home ground.

Vettori would have a bowl tomorrow to test his fitness after his supposed hamstring tear, suffered while diving for a ball on the boundary, was classified by Bracewell as "just a pull".

"There is a chance he may be fit, it's a remote chance. At this stage it's in the lower percentages but the trauma isn't as bad as we first thought."

It was another rapid recovery for Vettori, who collapsed in a heap in the Kandy test against Sri Lanka a year ago with what was feared to be a broken leg, then was back bowling two days later.

"It's almost divine stuff, it must be that Italian blood being so close to Rome," Bracewell said.

"We'll see how he scrubs up tomorrow, he'll have to bowl to prove his fitness. Let's see if the English water has the same healing powers as the Sri Lankan water."

While Craig McMillan is likely to return in Papps' place after a solid net session today, the bowling makeup is Bracewell's selection headache.

Depending on Vettori's fitness, Kyle Mills could also come in for his test debut while Jacob Oram will return as a bowling option after a solid workout today.

He was later revealed as another injury casualty from the dicey Headingley surface, with a tiny fracture in his right little finger after being hit yesterday by lethal England paceman Stephen Harmison who has 15 wickets in the series.

Bracewell said it wasn't expected to hamper Oram.

"The upside of that is he was able to bowl full out today which was a relief. He's our go-to guy and we missed that at Headingley."

Despite the nine-wicket hiding yesterday, there was an upbeat mood at New Zealand training at the picturesque Trent Bridge ground, in temperatures approaching 30degC as England basked in an early summer heatwave.

New Zealand's motivation is based around avoiding the humiliation of a 0-3 loss, proving they can put England away and to give Cairns a big sendoff.

The pitch has been full of runs this season and it seemed to be more of the same, with little greenery to encourage the seamers.

"They will prepare it to suit their bowlers. They've produced wickets that suit the taller, harder deck hitters with extra pace that we have struggled to get," Bracewell said.

- NZPA