Cricket: Twenty20 adds up to amazing comeback

Jeff Wilson

About this time tomorrow, Jeff Wilson will have capped one of New Zealand cricket's greatest comebacks.

The man who took the rugby world by storm as an All Black was yesterday named in the New Zealand Twenty20 team to play Australia, and is poised to complete a total recall tomorrow when he returns to the one-day squad.

Wilson, who played four ODIs against Australia in 1993, has been forced to wait an extra 48 hours for the golden moment so that coach John Bracewell can satisfy himself about the fitness of a handful of players, most notably Auckland seamer Kyle Mills.

Wilson played in last month's World XI series but the matches were not official ODIs.

Mills missed yesterday's Island of Origin match with an Achilles strain, but is expected to be passed fit for selection today after being put through his paces in front of Bracewell at Eden Park .

Bracewell said last night he was being deliberately cautious because of the lack of depth in the present ranks, which have been diluted by the loss of players such as Shane Bond, Chris Harris, Michael Mason and Jacob Oram.

However, with the news on Mills improving by the hour, it seems almost certain that Bracewell will name the same 13-man Twenty20 squad for the first two ODIs, heralding an international sporting rebirth for Wilson, and recalls for Craig McMillan and Andre Adams.

The only lingering question is whether Bracewell might attempt to further cover his options and name a 14-strong squad, with two players to be released back to their provinces after the confirmation of the playing XI.

He said last night that there was no subterfuge behind the postponement of the announcement, but rather an awareness of the need to give the best players the best chance to play.

"The degree of attrition means that we have to be careful each time we name a side," said Bracewell. "It's important, and critically important when you're playing a team such as Australia, that you give your best players every last chance to get on the park."

Having said that, he was able to relay optimistic news about Mills, suggesting the ODI side will be an exact replica of the Twenty20 combination.

"Kyle has been literally undergoing shock treatment on his Achilles and he says it 'bloody hurts'," said Bracewell.

"But the good bit is that the treatment seems to have made a real difference and he apparently feels fine and is confident of playing."

It was a similar situation across the Tasman yesterday as concerns eased about the availability of Australian batsman Matthew Hayden, who was in doubt for the tour of New Zealand after being diagnosed with pneumonitis, a condition closely related to pneumonia.

Hayden, who lost his place in the one-day side against Pakistan after some indifferent form, will visit a lung specialist tomorrow before a decision is made on his availability for the squad, which arrives on Wednesday.

However, Australian team officials said last night that the health of their Queensland batsman was rapidly improving, and that he would probably leave with the team on Wednesday.

Normally one of Australia's fittest players, Hayden is fighting to win back his place at the top of the order in the one-day side after making just 42 runs in four innings during the preliminary matches, and averaging just 21.73 in his past 11 one-day innings.

Australian news sources said there were apparently concerns New Zealand's colder weather could aggravate his condition, and suggestions he would be better off recovering in warmer weather at home.

NZ Twenty20 squad

Stephen Fleming (c), Nathan Astle, Mathew Sinclair, Scott Styris, Hamish Marshall, Craig McMillan, Chris Cairns, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori, Andre Adams, Jeff Wilson, Kyle Mills, Daryl Tuffey.