Vincent to Open

Lou Vincent will partner Nathan Astle at the top of the New Zealand batting order in the first two Chappell-Hadlee matches against Australia in Auckland and Wellington in the absence of regular ODI opener and captain Stephen Fleming after his recent successful surgery.

The move indicates that New Zealand intend to attack in the early stages, as Vincent scored a lot of runs in quick time in the recent tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa. Another option for opener was the more cautious James Marshall, but choosing Vincent sends a clear message about their intentions in the first 20 overs.

The series starts at Eden Park tomorrow with the first ball being bowled at 2pm NZT (1am GMT).