All posts by h716a5.icu

The ICC is to review the playing condition regarding lbw decisions in international cricket in response to the emergence of the switch hit

George Dobell09-May-2012The ICC is to review the playing condition regarding lbw decisions in international cricket in response to the emergence of the switch hit.ESPNcricinfo understands that the ICC cricket committee, a group that includes Ian Bishop, Kumar Sangakkara and Mark Taylor, is to consider amending the playing condition whereby a batsman attempting to play the shot cannot be given out lbw if the ball has pitched outside the leg stump.The news, first mentioned in passing in , will mean that any right-handed batsman who switches his stance or grip to effectively play as a left-hander, will be able to be given out even if the ball had pitched outside the leg stump and vice-versa. Bowlers will also be allowed more leeway as regards leg side wides in limited-overs cricket. The cricket committee meets in Dubai later this month.While any recommendations cannot come into force until they are ratified by the ICC board and the ICC’s chief executives’ committee, it is unlikely that the cricket committee’s proposals would be ignored. The decision will not affect the laws of the game, which are governed by the MCC, leading to the possibility that playing conditions in first-class cricket around the world will differ from playing conditions in the international game. It is up to each national board to determine whether to adopt the ICC’s playing conditions in their domestic cricket. While some boards – including those in Sri Lanka and South Africa – tend to default to the ICC stance, others – such as the ECB – are more independent minded. At present the major differences between ICC playing regulations and MCC laws concern the rules regarding the degree of flexion bowlers are allowed, the use of runners and decisions relating to the DRS.The MCC is also considering the repercussions of the more regular use of the switch hit stroke. Two members of the MCC’s laws subcommittee – Dave Richardson and John Stephenson – also sit on the ICC Cricket Committee.The switch hit first came to prominence in 2008 when Kevin Pietersen played it in an ODI against New Zealand in Durham. The same batsman was involved when matters came to a head in a Test in Sri Lanka recently when Tillakaratne Dilshan pulled out of his delivery stride on several occasions as Pietersen shaped to play the shot and the stand-off threatened to reach stalemate. The umpires, Asad Rauf and Bruce Oxenford, warned Pietersen for time-wasting, but the ICC is now looking for a more permanent solution.The ICC will be keen not to encourage negative bowling, however. The shot is sometimes played, even at Test level, to counter a leg stump line from right-hand bowlers coming round the wicket and many feel that the switch hit, a shot requiring high skill levels and remarkable reflexes, has been an entertaining addition to the game. It may also be that the ICC asks for some analysis as regards the risk-reward ratio of the shot and whether its usage really does disadvantage bowlers.Any amendment to the playing conditions is likely to prove torturously difficult to phrase. For a start, it could prove tough to define exactly what constitutes a switch hit – whether it involves a change of stance, a change of grip and when they take place. It is worth noting that the ICC, reacting to David Warner’s decision to remain in his normal left-handed stance but with a right-handed grip, issued a directive to umpires in February 2010 that stated such a tactic should be tolerated as long as it did not change once the bowler had begun their run up. As things stand the laws do not define what it means to bat left- or right-handed.Fraser Stewart, MCC’s Laws Manager, recently raised an interesting quandary. “What would happen,” Stewart asked, “if a batsman stood chest on to the bowler? If may sound a ludicrous suggestion now, but we have a generation of young cricketers growing up playing the switch hit and prepared to experiment with their stance and their grip. It may well happen.”

Sri Lanka left-arm spinner Rangana Herath has been rested for the remaining three ODIs against Pakistan following a knee operation after the home series against England in March

Sa'adi Thawfeeq in Colombo12-Jun-2012Sri Lanka left-arm spinner Rangana Herath has been rested for the remaining three ODIs against Pakistan following a knee operation after the home series against England in March. The national selectors have picked the uncapped left-arm spinner Sajeewa Weerakoon as his replacement.Herath played the first two ODIs in Pallekele, but keeping in mind his expected heavy workload in the Tests as the lead spinner, the team management has decided to let him recuperate till the Test series which begins in Galle on June 22.”We had decided that he would play only two to three games in this series because it’s always tough to return after an operation,” Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lanka captain, said on the eve of the third ODI in Colombo. “He felt it sore in the first two games. If you noticed while fielding he was struggling a bit.”Weerakoon, 34, has been on the fringes of national selection for a few years. He was the third-highest wicket-taker in the first-class 2011-12 Tier A competition with 42 wickets for Colts Cricket Club. In 2005, the consistency Weerakoon showed for the A team pushed the selectors to include him in the senior squad for three Tests against India in place of Herath, but he didn’t break into the playing XI.”I’m really happy and thrilled about this call,” Weerakoon said. “I got this call after seven years, and seven years means a long time. I made lots of sacrifices during that period.”I think I have done enough to convince them that I deserve a place in the Sri Lanka team. I was told about this decision just a couple of days ago by the team manager (Charith Senanayake).”Weerakoon said that it was his performances in the Premier tournament that earned him a call-up. “I think that’s why I’m here today. I was really determined to make my way into the national side. I never gave up. All I wanted was to represent Sri Lanka, at least in one game. I think that’s why I’m here today.”Weerakoon said that in those seven years he got valuable advice from spin bowling coach Piyal Wijetunge, a former Sri Lanka left-arm spinner. If picked, Weerakoon will become the second oldest Sri Lanka to make an ODI debut, after Michael Tissera, who played his first ODI in 1975 at the age of 36.Jayawardene said Weerakoon’s experience in the domestic circuit – he has 693 first-class wickets – should serve him well. “Personally I feel he is a deserving candidate and hopefully he will get his opportunity tomorrow,” Jayawardene said. “He has been in the shadows of Murali, Malinga Bandara, Herath and Ajantha Mendis for quite some time. He is a fighter. He has a lot of experience in club cricket and the A team.”With inputs from Kanishkaa Balachandran

Yorkshire’s hopes of returning to Division One at the first attempt probably depend on them beating sides like Leicestershire

Paul Edwards at Grace Road29-Jul-2012
ScorecardAdam Lyth set a new record for a Yorkshire player carrying his bat•Getty ImagesYorkshire’s hopes of returning to Division One at the first attempt probably depend on them beating sides like Leicestershire. Rain-ravaged games at both Colwyn Bay and Chesterfield have helped restrict Andrew Gale’s team to only two wins and diehard supporters who expected the White Rose to blaze a trail in the second tier of English cricket have been left both disappointed and a tad intolerant of lectures about the charms of outground cricketYet for all that Leicestershire have had the worst of most of this match Matthew Hoggard’s men have proved themselves doughty opponents whose competitive spirit compensates in part for their obvious limitations. Yorkshire have never been able to bully them and now the weather is taking a hand. The rain which sweetened the air at Grace Road also soured the mood of visiting supporters who had seen their side lose 1718 first-class overs before this game, representing a remarkable 44.75% of the possible cricket they could have watched.The four stoppages for rain on Sunday did not prevent Yorkshire building a 166-run lead, but two balls after Anthony McGrath had removed Greg Smith, lbw playing no shot for 28, with the first delivery of his spell from the Pavilion End, the gentlest of showers persuaded Messrs Gould and Bailey to take the players off. Like a tiresome schoolboy shown a teacher’s weakness, the rain grew bolder and there was a 75-minute break during large parts of which there was no rain at all, but bright sunshine. Sometimes this beautiful game does not help itself one bit.All the same, one piece of the evening’s action was worth waiting for when the cricket resumed. Bowling from the Bennett End, Steve Harmison completely deceived Michael Thornely with both the slower pace and slightly higher trajectory of the final delivery of his first over and the ball crashed into the middle and off stumps. For a moment we recalled Michael Clarke’s dramatic dismissal on the Saturday evening of the 2005 Edgbaston Test. Oblivious to such imperishable memories, Ned Eckersley and Ramnaresh Sarwan shepherded their side to 57 for 2 at the close. The final day of this game may be one of the most important in Yorkshire’s season.The first two sessions of the Sunday’s play were dominated by Adam Lyth, who added 89 runs to his overnight tally to finish with 248 not out, the highest score by any Yorkshire batsman since Darren Lehmann made 339 against Durham in 2006. Despite losing McGrath, who fell lbw to Hoggard’s first ball of the morning, Lyth continued relentlessly into the seventh and eighth hours of his innings, eventually batting 509 minutes and facing 395 balls in what was an epic effort.And, indeed, the afternoon session was the type that has statomaniacs donning their gold lamé anoraks and hugging each other in delight: Lyth is the 14th Yorkshire batsman to carry a bat through a completed innings and the first to do so since Joe Sayers against Durham in 2007. The list includes some famous names such as Herbert Sutcliffe, who managed the feat six times, Len Hutton, who did it just the twice, and the current Yorkshire president Geoff Boycott, who performed the deed eight times in an 18-year period during which, curiously enough, no-one else managed it.No Yorkshireman, however, has made more runs when batting through an innings than Lyth, and one may hazard the view not too many in the distinguished lineage will have played much better either. The quality of his effort was determined less by the quality of the attack he was facing, although Henderson kept a tight line and length, as by the way the opener crafted his approach around the partner with whom he was batting and the state of his side’s innings.This characteristic was revealed once more on Sunday when Lyth quickly revealed that his thirst for runs was chillingly undiminished. He added 45 for the seventh wicket with Azeem Rafiq and 73 for the eighth with Steve Patterson, who made 28. Both of those partners were able to hold up an end and they helped Lyth secure maximum five batting bonus points for Yorkshire.Once Harmison and Moeen Ashraf were at the wicket, however, Lyth was liberated to play his shots with full abandon: he straight drove Buck for six before pulling Hoggard for another maximum two overs later. While Henderson was taking three wickets for no runs at the Pavilion End, Lyth plundered 26 runs off eleven balls at the other. Having survived on modest rations for most of his innings, he finally felt free to have a slap-up meal at the best restaurant in town.And yet the Yorkshire opener remained endearingly unaware of all that he had achieved. When told by his colleagues that he had broken records and that he had carried his bat, he replied straight-faced: “Yes, I know, I’ve been carrying it for the last day and a half”.

Firdose Moonda14-Aug-2012England hoped to neutralise the acidic build-up of the final Test against South Africa by presenting Tim Bresnan, who admitted to the media he “probably won’t know” too many of the details surrounding the Kevin Pietersen saga. South Africa poured further alkaline on the situation by calling on their most experienced, yet increasingly outspoken player, Jacques Kallis, to field the questions two days before the Lord’s Test.If Kallis seems to be taking it lightly, it may be because he has been through much more. Kallis has lived through the match fixing saga under Hansie Cronje, World Cup chokes and most recently, seeing his closest team-mate, Mark Boucher, suffer a career-ending injury.In that time, he has gone from being the player who talked like he would rather be eating his own foot than addressing the press to someone who has enjoyed sharing his opinion. In New Zealand in March, Kallis launched an almost unprompted attack on the Decision Review System, speaking in an unusually candid way about ball-tracking technology. When this tour started in unfortunate circumstances, he was at Graeme Smith’s side when Boucher’s retirement statement was read and matter-of-factly announced that the incident served as a reminder that it was “not about cricket anymore, it is about a mate”.This time, the Kallis tonic was again served when Pietersen, texting, and the breaking down of boundaries between players of different countries because of twenty-over leagues came up for discussion. South Africa’s defence against receiving messages that allegedly contained unflattering details about the England dressing-room, is that such content was never shared. Team manager Mohammed Moosajee said the communication was only “friendly banter” between players who had formed relationships at the IPL.Kallis has not been linked to the messages but would have come into contact with Pietersen and many other players on his travels and said there is nothing unusual about striking up friendships. “You keep in contact with a few guys that you wouldn’t have before the IPL because you’re now team mates,” he explained. “You congratulate guys when they do well and keep in touch. It has changed how international players look at each other but that’s just off the field, on the field it’s back to business.”His answer was tempered with a warning about the extent of communication that players should have during an international series. “You have got to be careful about just what you send and if you do send messages keep it pretty much to a mate of yours,” Kallis said.”If a guy does well and you want to send him a message the guys will do that especially if you’re watching on TV. You have to be a little more careful during series you’re playing against each other but even then, you know, I think we’ve moved on from those days when the guys didn’t have any contact with each other.”

“Any time he’s not in your side it does make a big difference. I think they’re going to miss his experience for sure but cricket’s not a one man sport.”Jacques Kallis on Kevin Pietersen

There was an implication in Kallis’ answer: that players should choose their words more carefully, something he has done himself. When Kallis was asked if he followed the KP-parody account, he admitted he did not but said he would not be too concerned if there was a fake feed created for him, because it already exists. “I think there are one or two, before I joined I was already on there. I don’t know too much about Twitter.”That much is true. Kallis refused to join Twitter until the June 7 this year, when he posted a message saying he had “given in” and signed up. He has posted 69 tweets, almost all of them to do with sport.There are four accounts which use Kallis’ name and one of them, @JQKALLIS, passed as a reasonable enough impression of the man himself to attract a high number of followers, in excess of 6,000. When Kallis was told about it, in June last year, he laughed it off. None of the accounts have ever posted damaging messages about Kallis. Keeping his communication with the Twitter-verse limited has probably saved Kallis a lot of hardship and he does not intend to change that.Despite the problems it has caused for Pietersen, Kallis thinks the ECB and Pietersen “will sort it out because he is too good a player to be kept out of the international scene.” None of that can happen by the time the Lord’s Test starts though and Pietersen’s absence could play into South Africa’s hands.Kallis said South Africa will not view it that way, even though AB de Villiers admitted at a function at South Africa House on Monday night that the bowlers would be pleased not to have to bowl at Pietersen in this match. Kallis maintained the team stance that “we don’t focus on the opposition,” because it was something they did too much in the past.He expects England to feel Pietersen’s absence, though. “He’s a world class player. Any time he’s not in your side it does make a big difference. I think they’re going to miss his experience for sure but cricket’s not a one man sport. There are 11 guys who can take a Test match away from us. We’re certainly not preparing in any other way than we would do if he was playing. It is a big loss for England.”Experience means a lot to Kallis – he cited it as the biggest factor in South Africa’s string of successes away from home and the one thing he thinks can contribute to them taking the No.1 ranking off England in less than a week’s time.”The guys are maturing and learning a lot from the way we’re doing things. Hopefully the experiences we’ve had in the past, the guys will be able to tap into and pull us through and bring it out in this Test match,” he said.”It is a mature side and experienced side who know exactly what their roles are and exactly how to go about their business. That does make life a lot easier. Knowing how to go about your business which is different than having a young side who don’t.”

Lauren Ebsary has been included in Australia’s squad for the ICC Women’s World Twenty20, while Sharon Millanta has missed out

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Aug-2012Lauren Ebsary has been included in Australia’s squad for the ICC Women’s World Twenty20, while Sharon Millanta has missed out. The Australians named a 14-player squad and Ebsary in for Millanta was the only change from the group that travelled to India in March and won their series 4-1.”We believe that Lauren’s all-round ability across the three disciplines of batting, bowling and fielding gives the team more competitive options for success in this event,” Julie Savage, the chair of selectors, said. “We anticipate that this ICC World Twenty20 will be a very challenging event; the Quad Series held last year suggests England is the form side in this format and our recent experiences in Sri Lanka on a training camp over the last two weeks revealed significant improvements in the Sri Lankan side.”With this trend of improving depth in the women’s sides across the world, this event will be extremely close. The Commonwealth Bank-AIS Southern Stars squad relished the opportunity to acclimatise to Sri Lankan conditions in Colombo last week and to have some competitive games against New Zealand, Sri Lanka and a Sri Lanka Under-19 men’s team.”Very few of the squad had played cricket in Sri Lanka previously, thus the training camp has provided the perfect conclusion to our preparation for success at the ICC WorldTwenty20.”Australia squad Jodie Fields (capt, wk), Alex Blackwell, Jess Cameron, Sarah Coyte, Lauren Ebsary, Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy, Julie Hunter, Jess Jonassen, Meg Lanning, Erin Osborne, Ellyse Perry, Leah Poulton, Lisa Sthalekar.

Despite declarations from both teams to try and force a result, the first unofficial Test between New Zealand A and India A in Lincoln ended in a draw

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Sep-2012
ScorecardDespite declarations from both teams to try and force a result, the first unofficial Test between New Zealand A and India A in Lincoln ended in a draw. India needed two wickets and New Zealand 41 runs from a maximum of 20 overs, when play was called off due to bad light.India, from an overnight 132 for 2, got to 208 for 4, before declaring just over an hour into the day’s play. That meant New Zealand needed 314 from a maximum of 82 overs. First-innings centurion Tom Latham could not fire again in the chase, but a 149-run between George Worker and Neil Broom meant the hosts were in relative control at 169 for 1. However, once Jaydev Unadkat had Broom caught on 72, India struck with regularity to get back into the game. New Zealand lost seven wickets for the next 101 runs in 19 overs, to be reduced to fighting for survival. Vinay Kumar was the pick of the India bowlers, taking 3 for 47 in a tight spell.The second unofficial Test will be played from Wednesday, at the same venue.

Christopher Martin-Jenkins, the cricket commentator, journalist and former MCC president, has died at the age of 67. He had been diagnosed with cancer last year.

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jan-2013Christopher Martin-Jenkins, the cricket commentator, journalist and former MCC president, has died at the age of 67. He had been diagnosed with cancer in January last year.Martin-Jenkins, born in Peterborough, joined the BBC in 1970 after a period with the magazine which he joined straight from university and would later return to edit between 1981 and 1991.He became an integral part of the commentary team from the early 1970s until his ill-health forced him to step back in 2012 and for a period in the 1980s was part of the television team. He was the BBC’s cricket correspondent in two spells from 1973 to 1980 and 1985 to 1991He was also a huge figure in the newspaper industry as cricket correspondent for the between 1991 and 1999 before moving to the where he held the same position until 2008 before handing over to Michael Atherton.He continued to contribute to the paper until as recently as Monday, when he wrote about the death of Tony Greig: “It was probably for him a merciful release because the late stage of any cancer is often hell on earth.”Martin-Jenkins was awarded an MBE in 2008 and stood as the MCC president in 2010-11. He also played cricket for MCC on 67 occasions. Shortly after his illness was diagnosed, he released his memoir, Mike Griffith, President of MCC, had known him since schooldays at Marlborough College. “Christopher gave tremendous service to cricket and to MCC,” he said. “As a commentator and journalist he was passionate about upholding the values of the game and always expressed his views with clarity and humour. Everyone at MCC shares the sadness now being felt by the cricketing world that his live commentaries will never be heard again.”In 2007, he became the only career journalist and broadcaster to deliver the annual MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture. Previous lecturers had all been former international cricketers.Jonathan Agnew, the BBC’s cricket correspondent, praised Martin-Jenkins for having earned the respect of the cricketing world despite having never played at the top level.”He was one of cricket’s most respected writers and broadcasters,” Agnew told . “With modern media now preferring the views and experiences of former Test cricketers, Christopher’s authority and respect was gained not through a high-profile playing career, but a deep-rooted love of the game.”Listeners to Test Match Special will be all too familiar with CMJ’s eccentricities, like going to the wrong ground for the start of a Test match, for example. His legendary chaotic time-keeping was very much part of his charm.”It’s doubtful if anyone has contributed more in a lifetime to the overall coverage of cricket than Christopher Martin-Jenkins.”Tributes from colleagues and former players were quick to appear on Twitter. Derek Pringle, now the correspondent said: “Desperately sad to hear that CMJ has passed away. Always engaging company and a superb broadcaster and journalist he will be missed by many.”Ian Botham posted: “Very sad to hear of the death of the ‘Major’… Christopher Martin Jenkins. Our thoughts are with the family. A true gentleman.”In statement, Giles Clarke, the ECB chairman, said: “Cricket has lost one of its greatest champions. Christopher was a supremely talented broadcaster and writer; a fount of knowledge about cricket – both past and present; and, as a devoted supporter of Sussex, someone who cared deeply about county cricket and the wider recreational game.”These were the qualities which made him an excellent president of MCC and it was always a privilege and a pleasure to be in his company and share discussions with him about our great game. He was man of great personal integrity, a true gentleman and our thoughts today are with his family and his close friends.”

A round-up of the latest pro-50 matches from Zimbabwe as the tournament resumes

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jan-2013
ScorecardA calm fifth-wicket partnership between Brian Chari and Sean Williams guided Matabeleland Tuskers to a comfortable five-wicket victory against bottom-placed Southern Rocks in Bulawayo. In a match reduced to 37 overs per side, they came together with the chase of 132 stuttering on 44 for 4 but added 79 to ensure victory with nearly 10 overs to spare.The win was set up in the field after they had put Rocks into bat. Glen Querl struck in his first over and Keegan Meth claimed two lbws to leave the innings in trouble on 25 for 3 in the 11th. Matthew Pardoe, the Worcestershire batsman, tried to anchor a recovery with 42 but when he was fifth out, bowled by Sean Ervine, the innings fell away. Ervine finished with 3 for 29.
ScorecardThe match between the top two teams, Mid West Rhinos and Mashonaland Eagles, was abandoned after less than 10 overs due to rain. Rhinos, having been put into bat, were 30 for 1. They remain top of the table by two points.

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) has decided to withdraw player action against CSA after commitments were made to board restructure, but remain unhappy with the possibility of expanding the board

Firdose Moonda10-Jan-2013The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) has withdrawn playeraction against CSA after commitments were made to board restructureyesterday, but remain unhappy with the possibility of expanding the board.SACA lodged a dispute with the country’s Commission for Conciliation,Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) in November last year as it looked toforce CSA to follow the recommendations of the Nicholson report. Thatdocument suggests an 11-member board with five independent directorsincluding the chair.CSA has opted for a 12-man structure with the same number of independentsbut not the chairperson and will expand the board after 18 months. Then,they will have 16 directors with seven independents and nine provincialpresidents to satisfy the South African Sports Confederation and OlympicCommittee (SASCOC) who require that all nine provinces be represented onthe board.Since SASCOC is the governing body for all sports federations in thecountry and the Nicholson report was a “guideline” only, CSA decided theirmost recent decision would be the best compromise for all parties. SACA issatisfied with most of the decisions including the non-independent chairbut their chief executive, Tony Irish, hinted they could go back to theCCMA when the enlargement happens.”The players have stood up for good governance in cricket. We have a worldclass national team and the players expect world class governance in thegame. Yesterday’s resolution by CSA to implement a 7:5 director board isnot perfect, but it is a vast improvement on the existing 22 director Board.”There has been so much politics and in-fighting within the existing boardand we hope that the significant reduction in size and the higher degree ofindependence on the board will make it less unwieldy and political and morefocused on good cricket decision-making.”Hopefully they will appoint the best person for the chairmanship bearing inmind he is also likely to be the person who will sit on the ICC’s executiveboard. Good cricket credentials and an understanding of the internationalcricket landscape are vital here.”SACA and the players are not happy, however, with the indication given thatCSA will increase the Board to 16 directors in the future. We don’t thinkthere are good reasons for this and it simply moves further away from theNicholson Report recommendations and closer to the existing structure,which we all know has been a problem. Should this actually happen it islikely to again become an issue for SACA and the players.”The players are also unhappy that acting CSA chief executive Jacques Faulwill not apply for the job permanently. Faul told ESPNcricinfo he will remain in the role until a new boss is found, which is after the February2 AGM, but then he will pursue other interests. “Jacques has done a lot forcricket in the short time that he has been acting chief executive. He hasbeen primarily responsible for bringing sponsors back into the game despitewhat has gone on at board level,” Irish said.Under Faul, CSA signed major sponsors across all formats, having lost themin the throes of the bonus scandal. Although many of the contracts werealready in negotiation when Faul began in the job last March, he managed toget the deals signed and there is worry in circles of South African cricketthat the corporates may become nervous of CSA once again.Sponsorship has been the only area in which the national team was directlyaffected by the administrative issues. They played a T20 and ODI series in2011 against Australia without corporate backing and the domestic one-daycompetition that season was also unfunded.While that did not affect player payments, potential existed for it to doso in the long-run, if companies continued to stay away from cricket. Irishdoes not want to run the risk of that again, hence the objection forstraying too far from the Nicholson suggestions.

Jimmy Neesham, the Otago allrounder, has been called into New Zealand’s squad for the first Twenty20 against England

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Feb-2013Jimmy Neesham, the Otago allrounder, has been called into New Zealand’s squad for the first Twenty20 against England after injuries picked up by pace bowler Ian Butler and allrounder Grant Elliott ruled them out of the Auckland match.Butler suffered an ankle injury playing for the New Zealand XI against England in the warm-up matches and Elliott has a quad strain although it is hoped both will recover in time for the second match of the series in Hamilton on Tuesday.Neesham, 22, has played three Twenty20s, all against South Africa in the series late last year, and also featured in the ODIs on the same tour which New Zealand won 2-1.Elliott made his international comeback in that one-day series after a gap of more than two years while Butler has not played since 2010.