New Zealand’s injured brigade to undergo final fitness tests in Brisbane

AUCKLAND - The New Zealand team’s injured brigade will undergo their final fitness tests in Brisbane next week, as they look to take a full-strength squad to the Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies.

Eleven of the 15-man squad will fly to Brisbane on Sunday for a week-long camp before they depart for Guyana on April 24.

Several frontline players are returning from injury, including fast bowler Kyle Mills (shoulder and knee surgery), Jesse Ryder (abdominal), Jacob Oram (knee), Ian Butler and Aaron Redmond (both adductor).

The only absentees from the camp will be Indian Premier League (IPL) players Daniel Vettori, Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum and Shane Bond.At this stage everyone is fit and well. There are a number of guys returning to the team from injury and these players will continue to progress on their personal fitness plans and pass their individual milestones during the week,” Stuff.co.nz quoted Dave Currie, New Zealand team manager, as saying.

Currie further said that the camp is a way to fine-tune the squad, and to ensure they are in the best physical and mental state possible.

“We will be looking to re-create realistic game scenarios throughout the week, and putting the type pressure on players which reflects situations they might face during the World Cup,” he added. (ANI)