Cricket: Styris expected back for Black Caps

Scott Styris looks set to take his place in both the Black Caps Twenty20 team and the full one-day squad for the initial games in the Australian series.

Coach John Bracewell confirms both teams on Tuesday. Styris and Kyle Mills are both in the mix, although both have recently been hindered by niggles.

Northern Districts coach Bruce Blair believes Styris has recovered enough to be considered and he believes the selectors would dearly love to have Styris in the team for the Twenty20 version of the game, with an eye to having him primed for the one day series.

Blair is calling for the national selectors to stick with the tried and true in spite of his side taking out the State Shield and several of his fringe players performing well.

Blair thinks those players are not ready to step up just yet and a series against Australia and Sri Lanka is not the time to be blooding new players.

One of those players who has performed well is the leading wicket-taker in one-day domestic cricket, Graeme Aldridge.

Blair said Aldridge's performances this season will force some serious thinking by the selectors for both future Black Caps tours and New Zealand 'A'.

Meanwhile, Australian allrounders Andrew Symonds and James Hopes have both been passed fit to tour New Zealand.

Symonds has been cleared of soreness in his right achilles tendon.

Hopes has recovered from a hamstring injury.

The Australian team lands in Auckland on Wednesday, with the Twenty20 match at Eden Park on Thursday night.

- NEWSTALK ZB