One-day players arrive for NZ

Craig McMillan, Chris Cairns, Andre Adams and Jeetan Patel have joined New Zealand’s touring party for the upcoming triangular one-day series, beginning against Zimbabwe on Wednesday (NZ time).

McMillan has played a handful of one-day and Twenty20 matches for Hampshire, where he averaged 30 and 37 respectively.

McMillan told Radio Sport that he is not feeling rusty as a result, even after a week and a half off.

Meanwhile, Cairns has rubbished Zimbabwe’s recent performances as “dreadful” before he hardly stepped off the plane.

“I thought their application was non-existent and I’m not quite sure what sort of state they’re in.”

Off-spinner Patel has been picked with an eye to the 2007 World Cup. He may be used to rest star spinner Daniel Vettori in the early matches.