Cricket: Langer being chased for one-day international

SYDNEY - Dashing opener Justin Langer could play his first international one-day cricket match in seven years, but not in Australian colours.

The in-form test batsman is being courted for a proposed three-match one-day series in New Zealand along with fellow Australians Shane Warne, Michael Bevan, Greg Blewett and Nathan Bracken.

The quintet and peers from Sri Lanka, South Africa and England have been approached to play in a world side against the Black Caps late this month.

The series has been planned to replace the abandoned Sri Lankan tour after the tourists headed home early following the tsunami disaster which wreaked havoc on their homeland.

Cricket Australia (CA) is considering the venture but says there are numerous hurdles to be cleared for the series to take place.

CA is currently working overtime organising Monday's tsunami benefit match between Asia and a Rest of the World XI at the MCG.

A spokesman says it will not know whether Australian players will be available for the series until next week.

"We are sympathetic to the idea," spokesman Peter Young said tonight.

"But it is complicated. We have the VB series, Australia A playing as well as the Pura Cup and ING Cup competitions.

"Our initial response was we would like to help and have a look at it but with the tsunami game on our hands, it is going to take some time."

A major stumbling block could be the state associations with two ING Cup matches on January 23 before a full round of the Pura Cup starting January 27.

Test world record wicket-taker Warne has retired from one-day internationals while Langer has been unable to add to his eight one-day internationals despite his blistering recent form in Test cricket.

The New Zealand Cricket Players Association executive officer Heath Mills has been working in recent days liaising with International Cricket Federations (FICA) in other parts of the world to get players for the quick-fire series.

He said the response from players contacted was outstanding.

"We hope to have about 20 names and from there we'll select a side," he said.

The most likely venues would be the three major population centres - Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

- AAP, NZPA