New Zealand cricket captain Daniel Vettori's concussion fears
have eased but he will play in discomfort caused by a chronic
shoulder injury when the test series against Pakistan starts
in Dunedin next week.
Vettori was given the all clear today after suffering mild
concussion during the one-day series against Pakistan in Abu
Dhabi last week.
He was struck when a Mohammad Aamer bouncer crashed into his
helmet grille during the second one-dayer although the damage
was only apparent when he started vomiting after New Zealand
won the third and deciding match.
It forced him to miss the following two Twenty20 matches
between the countries in Dubai before Vettori consulted an
orthopaedic surgeon today, a day after arriving back from the
United Arab Emirates.
New Zealand Cricket said scans revealed damage to a rotator
cuff on the left shoulder -- his bowling arm -- and although
surgery might eventually be required the injury would
initially be managed with physiotherapy and exercises.
While Vettori is available to lead New Zealand into the first
test starting at University Oval in Dunedin next Tuesday,
pace bowler Kyle Mills today learned he requires surgery to
mend shoulder and knee injuries.
Considered only an outside chance for test selection, Mills
is expected to be out of action for at least four months and
will target his comeback for the Twenty20 world championship
in the West Indies in May.
Mills has a torn rotator cuff and will have an operation
within two weeks, while he also needs surgery to clean up
tendon damage to his right knee.
The absence of Mills should not be keenly felt given Chris
Martin and Iain O'Brien are the incumbent test new ball
pairing and Shane Bond will play his first test in two years
providing he gets through Canterbury's Plunket Shield match
against Otago starting tomorrow.
Left-arm seamer James Franklin is also over his back niggle
and will play for an Invitation 11 against Pakistan in a
three-day match starting in Queenstown on Wednesday.
Seamers Tim Southee and a fit again Daryl Tuffey will also
get a chance to push their claims against the tourists.
