Cricket: Mills likely to bowl today after injury

Kyle Mills has battled a groin strain. Photo / PHOTOSPORT

Expect Kyle Mills to return to the bowling crease for New Zealand today in the sixth one-day international of the series against Sri Lanka.

Coach Mike Hesson indicated Mills would play one of the two games in Dunedin and he missed the 108-run victory on Friday which gave the hosts an unassailable 3-1 lead.

The 35-year-old had a sustained bowl at training before that match. If he plays, the pressure will be on to continue the work of a productive attack since he suffered a groin strain before the second game of the five-match series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.

Mills' first attempt at regaining match fitness came in Auckland's Ford Trophy victory over Northern Districts last weekend. He bowled a tidy opening six-over spell, dismissing Anton Devcich, and finished with one for 31 from 10 overs. He has spent sessions rehabilitating with team trainer Chris Donaldson, as well as using the grass facilities at Eden Park with Auckland.

Mills' 237 ODI wickets have come at just 26.94 and a useful economy rate of 4.73 in 167 matches, including a spell as the world's No1 ranked ODI bowler in 2009. He has made 1017 runs at 15.64 and a strike rate of 80, including two half-centuries to help batting tails wag.

Such a pedigree heading into a World Cup is precious but last year his seven ODI wickets came at 44.14 and an economy rate of 5.22, so he'll be conscious of finding form.

In an almost 14-year career, Mills has played just four World Cup matches. He bowled six overs in 2003 and played Zimbabwe, Pakistan and Canada in 2011 before straining his left quadricep. A knee injury ended his chances of attending in 2007.

Today's return is also a chance for the pace bowlers to simulate World Cup conditions with one of their quintet, Adam Milne, injured.

Milne is expected to return for the final match on Thursday in Wellington. Trent Boult or Mitchell McClenaghan is likely to miss today's selection as part of the rotation. Both have played three of the four completed matches; Tim Southee's played two.

If New Zealand win the next two matches against Sri Lanka to take the series 5-1 and England lose their next match to India in Australia, New Zealand will leap over England into fifth on the world rankings.