Cricket: McCullum sits out T20 finale

Selectors are pleased with Brendon McCullum's progress but want to save him for the test and ODI series. Photo / Getty Images

Brendon McCullum has passed a fitness test but will sit out the final T20 international against Pakistan to guard against any relapse to his back injury ahead of the test series early next month.

McCullum was counted out of the first two games against Pakistan with concerns over his level of fitness.

He passed a test on the back yesterday but caution is the order of the moment from the national selectors, Mark Greatbatch, Glenn Turner and Lance Cairns with a pile of tests and ODIs looming ahead of the World Cup in February-March.

"We are pleased with the progress he has made," Turner said.

"Although the signs are good the selection panel think the sensible approach is to rest Brendon for the final T20.

"In view of the heavy workload Brendon will shoulder in the upcoming test and ODI series we believe the extra rest will be of benefit in the longer term."

McCullum is expected to have his test preparation playing in the New Zealand XI for a three-day game against Pakistan, starting at Whangarei's Cobham Oval on Sunday.

There was a kerfuffle over the naming of the T20 squad, with McCullum initially omitted, then added after a conversation between New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan and McCullum's agent, former test captain Stephen Fleming.

The selectors sat him out anyway for the wins at Eden Park and Hamilton this week.

McCullum now plays as a specialist batsman in tests, but wants to keep in the shorter forms of the game.

Evidently his dicky back is okay for batting and running about in the field, but not so good handling the specific movements required for keeping.

In his absence, Peter McGlashan has impressed in the T20s while Reece Young is confirmed as wicketkeeper for the two tests.

All the momentum is with New Zealand going into the final T20 in Christchurch tonight.

They won in all-embracing fashion at Hamilton on Tuesday and Pakistan's coach Waqar Younis knows he has a job on his hands to turn things around with nine internationals to play.

The tourists have been outbowled, outbatted and outfielded so far.

Younis' initial focus will be on the bowling, which has been either too full or too short, with too little variety and an inability of the faster men to hit the yorker length often enough.

"New Zealand played outstanding cricket and kept coming at us at all times," he said.

"They looked very sharp and on their home grounds they are one of the best sides around."

One of the keys to their success has been the fielding, which has been athletic and secure.

"We've tried to be really positive and our fielding has been top notch in the last couple of games," Nathan McCullum said. "It's up to us to keep that standard and never let it drop."

New Zealand got good value out of left arm spinner Luke Woodcock on debut at Hamilton, getting through his four overs for only 20. He would have had a maiden wicket, too, had Taylor not spilled a sitter at deep mid off.

Between them, Woodcock and Nathan McCullum got through eight overs for just 36.

Whether they'll get another chance to operate in tandem tonight on a ground with seriously short side boundaries won't be known until later today.

NEW ZEALAND V PAKISTAN
Christchurch, 7pm today

New Zealand: (from) Ross Taylor (c), Martin Guptill, Jesse Ryder, James Franklin, Scott Styris, Dean Brownlie, Luke Woodcock, Peter McGlashan, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Tim Southee, Ian Butler, Adam Milne.

Pakistan: (from) Shahid Afridi (c), Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shahzad, Younis Khan, Umar Akmal, Asad Shafiq, Fawad Alam, Adnan Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Shoaib Akhtar, Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Tanvir Ahmed.