Cricket: Medical staff work overtime

Spare a thought for New Zealand's medical staff today as they battle to prepare the team for the start of the first test against Australia.

Working side by side with team psychologist Gilbert Enoka, the medicos have been operating from dawn to dusk over the past month to help the New Zealand players heal from their mauling in the five-match one-day series.

Their biggest task this morning will be to assist with the recovery of key players Daniel Vettori and Nathan Astle, whose presence in the team on Thursday is essential if New Zealand are to avoid a repeat embarrassment in the test series opener.

Already without influential all-rounders Jacob Oram and Scott Styris, New Zealand have lost Michael Papps to a Brett Lee-inflicted head injury, Mathew Sinclair to a loss of form, and Daryl Tuffey to mental disintegration.

Even Chris Cairns, who last week rejected a plea to come out of retirement, swept the notion completely aside on Saturday when he strained a hamstring at the start of the fifth ODI and was unable to continue.

The news on Astle, at least, was positive yesterday, leaving most of the concern hovering around the state of Vettori, who has been battling more serious back pain throughout the season, and was forced out of the fourth ODI at Wellington.

Vettori has been the only New Zealand bowler to cause problems for Australia this summer, but appeared to take an unnecessary risk when he opted to play in the series finale on Saturday.

By far the pick of an extremely expensive crop, he conceded just 37 off his 10 overs in another impressive performance, made even more remarkable by the fact that Australia managed to score 347.

However, New Zealand Cricket officials were not commenting on Vettori's status yesterday, sparking concern that his fragile condition could leave him in doubt for the opening test match.

In contrast, Astle is expected to be available after he missed the final ODI with a strained right shoulder, an injury suffered after he dived in the slips cordon at Wellington, and landed heavily.

NZC sources claimed Astle could have played in the fifth ODI if needed, but that it was decided he should be rested as a precaution, so that he would be fighting fit for the start of the test match.

While New Zealand try to cope with the injury-toll, Australia are enjoying an almost problem-free lead-up to the opening test, the only exception being the lingering shoulder injury being carried by opening batsman Matthew Hayden.

Hayden had been expected to recover quickly from the setback but has apparently struggled to make any significant headway, and is now considered a doubtful starter for Thursday.

As a consequence, Australia have retained one-day batsman Michael Hussey, who would make his test debut if Hayden failed to recover.