Black Caps await McCullum's fitness by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:	BB McCullum, DL Vettori, LRPL Taylor
Event:	ICC World Twenty20 2009

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DateLine: 16th June 2009

 

Brendon McCullum has a fracture on his left hand, but the Kiwis are hoping he will be fit for the do-or-die game against Sri Lanka.

 

Black Caps have been down with injuries to most of their key players all throughout the tournament, and no absence would be felt more than that of destructive opening batsman McCullum.

 

McCullum suffered the injury after colliding in the outfield with Neil Broom, off the last ball of the match New Zealand lost to Pakistan at The Oval two days ago.

 

"Unfortunately for us, Brendon McCullum has suffered a broken little finger and torn ligament," captain Daniel Vettori revealed.

 

"He's going to have an injection today, and we're going to see how he goes."

 

Skipper Vettori himself has been nursing a shoulder injury which kept the left-arm spinner out of all New Zealand's matches until they took on Pakistan.

 

He though should be 100% fit to face the Lankans at Trent Bridge. The winners of this game will almost certainly progress to a semi-final at their opponents expense.

 

Ross Taylor is not so certain to recover from his hamstring tear in time, however, and McCullum's setback is the latest in a catalogue of mishaps for the Kiwis.

 

"It's another injury that we desperately didn't need," Vettori confirmed.

 

"But we're still hoping he can play tomorrow, and we're hoping Ross Taylor will be fit as well.

 

"If Ross is fit (and McCullum isn't) it would probably be a straight swap. If neither of them is fit we'll probably bring Neil Broom in and look to use Martin Guptill in the opening position.

 

"It's not ideal for us. Our strength is in our top four, and potentially three of those top four may not play one of our most important games."