Cricket: Styris snub may mean it's the end of the line

Scott Styris wants to play in the 2011 World Cup but has failed to make New Zealand's latest one-day squad. Photo / Getty Images

In a move that might have tilted the world ever-so-slightly off its axis, New Zealand named an utterly predictable line-up for the first three one-day internationals against India.

No Trent Boult-like bolters, no mad scientist-like experiments, just a good, solid experienced unit that will look ahead to its five-match series with

India with ever-increasing confidence following two wins in the twenty20 internationals.

Returning from injury are Jacob Oram and Jesse Ryder, who played no role in the recent Chappell-Hadlee series, and Kyle Mills, who was the standout bowler on the Australia tour before injuring his Achilles tendon in the final ODI.

The only talking points were the absence of a second spinner and the omission of Scott Styris, a move that could realistically have drawn the curtain down on the international career of one of New Zealand's best-performed allrounders.

Styris last played for New Zealand in an ODI in Bangladesh last October. He performed poorly there but was New Zealand's best batsman in the series against England last winter.

He broke his finger playing a twenty20 international against the West Indies on Boxing Day, and, given he has had a dubious relationship with the selectors of late, probably knew the writing was on the wall once younger players such as Martin Guptill and Neil Broom came in and performed.

While the selectors will talk of doors always being open, you have to wonder how much motivation Styris, at 33, a new father and already retired from tests, will have to prove them wrong.

On the other hand, he has always talked about the next World Cup as his reason for staying in the game and he's known as a scrapper. Certainly nobody in the current side can match his weight of runs and he is a canny bowler.

The question of a second spinner was probably answered in the brief time it took Yusuf Pathan to smack Nathan McCullum into the AMI Stadium bleachers. McCullum would have had the inside running on Jeetan Patel as it is difficult to justify a second spinner who offers little to nothing with the bat.

"Knowing the way the Indians play spin bowling in limited overs cricket, we think the attack will benefit from having an extra seamer," convenor of selectors Glenn Turner said yesterday.

Comeback kid Ian Butler has been the beneficiary of that thinking, with the right-armer set to play his first ODI since the first Chappell-Hadlee match in December, 2004.

Butler's State Shield form for Otago was excellent - in 10 matches he took 18 wickets at 19.83 - and his ability to hit big in the lower order could yet prove pivotal.

Turner said the squad had been named only for the first three matches, to allow other players the opportunity to find form in the next round of the domestic State Championship, and in the New Zealand A side.

The squad is: Daniel Vettori (c), Neil Broom, Ian Butler, Grant Elliott, Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, Kyle Mills, Iain O'Brien, Jacob Oram, Jesse Ryder, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor.

Selectors also named the New Zealand A side for the second four-day match against the England Lions.

The team is: Jamie How (captain), Brent Arnel, Daniel Flynn, James Franklin, Peter Fulton, Chris Martin, Jeetan Patel, Aaron Redmond, Ewen Thompson, Kane Williamson, Reece Young.

The first four-day game between New Zealand A and the England Lions is at Queenstown today to Wednesday.