New Zealand squad named for World Twenty20

WELLINGTON: New Zealand's selectors have gambled on injury-prone all-rounder Jacob Oram being fit for the ICC World Twenty20 in June, naming him in a 15-man squad announced Tuesday. The 30-year-old Oram, ranked the fifth-best all-rounder in the world in one-day internationals, has been plagued by injuries over the past four years, which have seen him in and out of the national side.He did not play in the just-concluded three-Test series against India because of an Achilles strain.But he has been included in the squad for the World Cup in England on the assumption that he is fully fit, Glenn Turner, the head of the selection panel, said.The squad also includes Brendon Diamanti, who has yet to play an international Twenty20, and four other players absent from the side that won the two Twenty20s against India last month.The recalled players are Peter McGlashan, who last played against Sri Lanka in 2006, James Franklin, who played against Australia in February, and Scott Styris and Kyle Mills, who turned out against the West Indies in December.Turner said the fickle English climate had presented a challenge in selecting the side."We're really not sure what conditions will prevail in early June," he said."But being able to take 15 players means we have hopefully been able to cover all angles."In selecting the side we have been particularly conscious of selecting players in the middle and lower order who are boundary hitters."Notable omissions from the squad are one-day specialists Grant Elliott and Tim Southee, who are both on the list of replacement or cover players. The World Twenty20 opens on June 5. New Zealand's group matches are against Scotland on June 6 at the Oval and South Africa on June 9 at Lords. New Zealand squad: Daniel Vettori (captain), Neil Broom, Ian Butler, Brendon Diamanti, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Peter McGlashan, Kyle Mills, Iain O'Brien, Jacob Oram, Jesse Ryder, Scott Styris, Ross Taylor.