David Leggat: Neesham left out in cold for bolter

Black Caps Adam Milne (left) and Grant Elliott are congratulated on World Cup selection by Martin Guptill after the NZ squad was announced yesterday. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand coach backs Elliott to provide strong cover in the middle order as management looks for right balance of talent in World Cup challenge

Some surprises are good but Jimmy Neesham knows well that others are not.

Given that a 15 had appeared locked and loaded for the World Cup for a couple of weeks, the reading of Grant Elliott's name late yesterday as part of that 15 is likely to have produced sharp intakes of breath around the country.

Elliott in, Neesham out, otherwise all present and correct from the pre-announcement speculation, once Kyle Mills was confirmed as being ready after his groin niggle in time for the cup on February 14.

The thing about bolters is they're good from the interest perspective, but it always means someone who has been part of the furniture is removed from the room.

There had been some late mail whispered about the 35-year-old Elliott.

He has been in decent domestic form, averaging 48 in four Ford Trophy games for a dreadful Wellington outfit. Timing counts plenty.

But he's been outside the national tent for more than a year.

The selectors, coach Mike Hesson and selection manager Bruce Edgar used the word balance in explaining Elliott's inclusion at Neesham's expense.

"... the ability to adapt our game plan to different conditions if required," as Hesson put it.

The last of Elliott's 51 ODIs was in Sri Lanka in November 2013. He averages 29.79 and has taken 20 wickets, neither statistic about to rattle any trees.

But he has made runs in pacy, bouncy conditions in South Africa and Australia. That may have relevance, plus having an older hand around the group might have been seen as valuable.

Bear in mind, Elliott may only play one or two matches at the tournament in which New Zealand have six pool A games before the quarter-finals.

Elliott would "assure us strong cover in the middle order", Hesson said, also spruiking his record in Australian and New Zealand conditions (35.4 in 13 ODIs in New Zealand; 43.8 in a smallish sample of six across the Tasman).

Did they decide it was tricky to fit the similarly skilled Corey Anderson and Neesham into the same XI and opt for a different skill set in Elliott? Probably.

Did Neesham do himself serious ODI damage during an ordinary series in the United Arab Emirates? Possibly, and he's only got to 20 twice in 13 ODI innings, where he averages 14.6 (Anderson averages 36 in 16)..

Whatever, Neesham will be desperately disappointed this morning.

Anderson could feel fortunate. It is seven ODI innings since he reached 25 and some of his bowling of late has been awful.

But in his corner, he has the world's fastest ODI ton from a year ago in Queenstown against the West Indies. That means nestling in the back of important minds is the knowledge of what he can do. But that will only carry him so far.

The core group seems settled.

How to perm three fast-medium bowlers from the five chosen will be intriguing.

Mills, Tim Southee and Trent Boult, for example, all have strong claims to using the new ball.

As will discovering which spinner has the inside running, Nathan McCullum or Dan Vettori. There's no way both will play all games.

Veteran Vettori remains a clever left armer, but McCullum is tidy and a far superior fielder. Both have late-order runs in them.

Watch for permutations in the nine leadup ODIs against Sri Lanka (seven) and Pakistan (two) starting in Christchurch on Sunday.

The trick for the management will be giving players enough chances to be primed for the opener against Sri Lanka on February 14, without over-doing it.

Call it a balance. There's that word again.