Hamilton: New Zealand all-rounders Chris Cairns and Chris Harris were not considered on Sunday for the first two One-dayers against India as they had yet to regain fitness.

Chairman of selectors Richard Hadlee said Cairns had been progressing well, but still required more rehabilitation time after a recent knee surgery. Harris, coming back from an injury, needed some more games at state level before he would be considered for selection, Hadlee said.

Cairns has so far scored 3,614 runs and bagged 154 wickets in 151 One-day internationals and Harris 3,955 runs and 192 wickets in 216 matches. "It's fair to say a couple of players who have been selected are under scrutiny because we have only limited matches available to select our World Cup squad," Hadlee said in a statement.

New Zealand, which clinched the two-Test series against India 2-0 on Sunday, will play seven One-dayers against the tourists before next year's World Cup in South Africa.

The first match starts at Auckland on December 26. All-rounder Scott Styris failed to find a place in the 12-member squad despite playing two Tests against India. "Styris is a player who might consider himself unlucky, but he is competing for his spot with a number of other all-rounders," said Hadlee. "The door is by no means shut and the onus is on him and others to score some runs and take wickets at domestic level."

New Zealand: Stephen Fleming (captain), Nathan Astle, Shane Bond, Paul Hitchcock, Kyle Mills, Brendon McCullum, Craig McMillan, Jacob Oram, Daryl Tuffey, Mathew Sinclair, Daniel Vettori and Lou Vincent.

Copyright AFP 2001

Extras:
New Zealand beats India to sweep Test series