Cricket: Vettori and McCullum make World squads

Black Cap cricketers Daniel Vettori and Brendon McCullum have been given a World XI call up.

The pair have been named in a 39-man list for the one day and test squads to take on Australia in October, with three one dayers in Melbourne and a six-day Super Test in Sydney.

The Rest of the World XI selectors have named a dream team of batsmen and spinners.

A batting lineup featuring a combination of Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Virender Sehwag, Michael Vaughan, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Jacques Kallis is likely to cause even Australia's much-vaunted attack plenty of problems.

On the bowling side, a spinning duo chosen from Muttiah Muralitharan, Anil Kumble and Harbajhan Singh, on the turning Sydney pitch, will more than make up for thin fast bowling ranks headed by Shoaib Akhtar, Chaminda Vaas and an out-of-form Steve Harmison.

Pakistan has a total of nine players, with South Africa, India and England all supplying seven each.

The squads will be cut down to 20 next month and then the final 13 for the Test and 14 for the one-dayers will be named in August.

Rest of the World chief selector Sunil Gavaskar believes Australia will be the underdog in the Super Test at the SCG.

Regardless of the outcome of the Ashes series between now and then, Gavaskar believes his team is entitled to be favourite.

The reason is the venue, and the fact his team can cover all bases.

The test squad is: Andrew Flintoff (Eng), Steve Harmison (Eng), Andrew Strauss (Eng), Michael Vaughan (Eng), Rahul Dravid (Ind), Irfan Pathan (Ind), Virender Sehwag (Ind), Harbhajan Singh (Ind), Sachin Tendulkar (Ind), Anil Kumble (Ind), VVS Laxman (Ind), Brendon McCullum (NZ), Daniel Vettori (NZ), Shoaib Akhtar (Pak), Inzamam ul Haq (Pak), Naved ul Hasan (Pak), Danish Kaneria (Pak), Younis Khan (Pak), Mark Boucher (SA), Herschelle Gibbs (SA), Jacques Kallis (SA), Makhaya Ntini (SA), Shaun Pollock (SA), Andre Nel (SA), Graeme Smith (SA), Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri), Kumar Sangakkara (Sri), Chaminda Vaas (Sri), Brian Lara (WI) and Ramnaresh Sarwan (WI).

The one-day squad is: Andrew Flintoff (Eng), Darren Gough (Eng), Kevin Pietersen (Eng), Marcus Trescothick (Eng), Rahul Dravid (Ind), Irfan Pathan (Ind), Virender Sehwag (Ind), Harbhajan Singh (Ind), Sachin Tendulkar (Ind), Brendon McCullum (NZ), Daniel Vettori (NZ), Shoaib Akhtar (Pak), Inzamam ul Haq (Pak), Naved ul Hasan (Pak), Shahid Afridi (Pak), Shoaib Malik (Pak), Abdul Razzaq (Pak), Yousuf Youhana (Pak), Mark Boucher (SA), Herschelle Gibbs (SA), Jacques Kallis (SA), Makhaya Ntini (SA), Shaun Pollock (SA), Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri), Kumar Sangakkara (Sri), Chaminda Vaas (Sri), Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri), Brian Lara (WI), Ramnaresh Sarwan (WI) and Chris Gayle (WI).

- NEWSTALK ZB