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NEW ZEALAND PROFILES

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Stephen Fleming (c)

Born: 01.04.1973
ODIs: 280
Role: Opening batsman
Bat: Left-hand
Average: 32.40
Strike-Rate: 71.49
Bowl: Right-arm offspin
Average: 28.00
Economy: 5.79

He may have been born on April 1, but Fleming is no fool. New Zealand's most successful captain has grown in stature over the years and the left-hander has adapted his technique cleverly in one-day cricket. Rightly regarded as the finest tactical leader at international level, he can be relied upon to get the best out of his team and himself.

Jacob Oram

Born: 28.07.1978
ODIs: 102
Role: All-rounder
Bat: Left-hand
Average: 22.75
Strike-Rate: 79.37
Bowl: Rt-arm fast-med
Average: 30.58
Economy: 4.52

Oram's latest injury setback could be a critical blow to New Zealand's World Cup hopes. His right-arm medium-pacers are mostly about sensible containment, but Oram's destructive left-handed middle-order batting gives his team prospects of taking matches away from any opposition. An athletic ground fielder as well.

Hamish Marshall

Born: 15.02.1979
ODIs: 66
Role: Batsman
Bat: Right-hand
Average: 27.43
Strike-Rate: 73.06
Bowl: Right-arm medium
Average: n/a
Economy: n/a

Middle-order accumulator who has impressed for New Zealand in both forms of the game. Made his mark in an injury-truncated summer with Gloucestershire last year but found runs much harder to come by at times against Australia's world-beating attack this winter. An excellent fielder in the covers, he replaces the injured Lou Vincent.

Ross Taylor

Born: 08.03.1984
ODIs: 24
Role: Batsman
Bat: Right-hand
Average: 33.61
Strike-Rate: 81.05
Bowl: Right-arm offspin
Average: n/a
Economy: 8.00

The new Kiwi on the block, Taylor is a top-order batsman who likes to get on with things and has made an eye-catching start to his one-day international career, notably with an unbeaten hundred against Sri Lanka at Napier and an impressive Commonwealth Bank series in Australia. Definitely one to watch.

Craig McMillan

Born: 13.09.1976
ODIs: 197
Role: All-rounder
Bat: Right-hand
Average: 28.18
Strike-Rate: 75.94
Bowl: Right-arm medium
Average: 35.04
Economy: 5.48

Long-established batting option for the Kiwis, McMillan's fluent style, verging occasionally on the downright adventurous, makes him a dangerous weapon in the Kiwi middle order. Doesn't bowl as often as he once did, but his innocuous-looking medium-pacers have earned many a crucial wicket over the years.

Peter Fulton

Born: 01.02.1979
ODIs: 36
Role: Batsman
Bat: Right-hand
Average: 35.87
Strike-Rate: 74.28
Bowl: Right-arm medium
Average: n/a
Economy: n/a

Right-handed batsman with a first-class triple-century on his CV. Made his one-day debut in 2004, but was not picked again for another 12 months. Made the most of his recall with two fifties and a maiden hundred against Sri Lanka. Had a quiet time in the CB Series before starring in the Black Caps' 3-0 Chappell-Hadlee win over Australia.

Scott Styris

Born: 10.07.1975
ODIs: 133
Role: All-rounder
Bat: Right-hand
Average: 31.89
Strike-Rate: 78.65
Bowl: Right-arm medium
Average: 32.62
Economy: 4.72

Styris has suffered with back and calf injuries since the Champions Trophy in October, but came back to fitness towards the end of the CB Series in Australia and when fit is a key member of the New Zealand side. Injuries have taken their toll on Styris, who has developed from a bowler who could bat a bit into a capable middle-order batsman who can bowl occasionally.

Chris Martin

Born: 10.12.1974
ODIs: 9
Role: Bowler
Bat: Right-hand
Average: 1.20
Strike-Rate: 25.00
Bowl: Rt-arm fast-med
Average: 36.09
Economy: 5.43

A tall and steady medium quick, Martin has been in and out of the New Zealand side since his debut in 2000. Has generally only figured in ODIs as a fill-in when injuries required, as proved by the spread of his limited overs appearances - just nine over five years. Features more in Tests, but even those outings have proved sporadic since the return to fitness of Shan Bond.

Brendon McCullum

Born: 27.09.1981
ODIs: 114
Role: Wicketkeeper
Bat: Right-hand
Average: 23.04
Strike-Rate: 82.70
Bowl: n/a
Average: n/a
Economy: n/a

After a disappointing start to his international career with the bat, McCullum is starting to produce the runs to back up his classy wicketkeeping. His versatility and ability with the bat was shown by his promotion to the top of the order in Australia, though he is now back in the middle-order.

James Franklin

Born: 07.11.1980
ODIs: 65
Role: Bowler
Bat: Left-hand
Average: 17.51
Strike-Rate: 74.81
Bowl: Left-arm fast-med
Average: 37.37
Economy: 5.11

This left-arm pace bowler is another who has had a disjointed international career after suffering from a succession of injuries. Franklin can swing the ball at decent pace, and having originally started as a batsman, often contributes useful runs down the order.

Shane Bond

Born: 07.06.1975
ODIs: 67
Role: Bowler
Bat: Right-hand
Average: 14.28
Strike-Rate: 72.20
Bowl: Right-arm fast
Average: 19.32
Economy: 4.20

One of the fastest bowlers in the world, Bond adds an extra dimension to the Black Caps' attack and commands the respect of the world's best batsmen. He is the quickest New Zealander to reach 50 ODI wickets, and has best one-day figures of six for 19. Now seemingly free of injury, a cracking Chappell-Hadlee series took his ODI bowling average under 20.

Daniel Vettori

Born: 27.01.1979
ODIs: 201
Role: All-rounder
Bat: Left-hand
Average: 14.59
Strike-Rate: 78.82
Bowl: Left-arm slow
Average: 32.95
Economy: 4.22

New Zealand's top spinner, Vettori is approaching 200 ODI wickets with his intelligent left-arm spin, and is also a more-than-useful lower-order batsman. He has captained the side in recent one-dayers, and looks the most likely heir to Fleming.

Mark Gillespie

Born: 17.10.1979
ODIs: 17
Role: Bowler
Bat: Right-hand
Average: 12.60
Strike-Rate: 79.74
Bowl: Rt-arm fast-med
Average: 42.16
Economy: 5.60

Being groomed as the Kiwis' death bowler, Gillespie's aggressive approach to the crease belies his comparative lack of pace. He took 43 wickets at 23.16 in domestic one-dayers last season and has acquitted himself well enough at the highest level this winter - notably in the Chappell-Hadlee series - to suggest a bright future.

Michael Mason

Born: 27.08.1974
ODIs: 19
Role: Bowler
Bat: Right-hand
Average: 7.33
Strike-Rate: 50.00
Bowl: Rt-arm fast-med
Average: 36.52
Economy: 5.16

Mason is a 'steady Eddie' line-and-length seamer for whom international recognition has been the result of much hard work. It is hoped he can replicate his first-class efoorts in international cricket.

Jeetan Patel

Born: 07.05.1980
ODIs: 23
Role: Bowler
Bat: Right-hand
Average: 11.20
Strike-Rate: 53.84
Bowl: Right-arm offspin
Average: 31.53
Economy: 5.01

The most inexperienced player in the NZ squad at the age of 26, Patel is still a new boy to the one-day scene. His flighted off-breaks provide a mirror-image alternative or complement for slow left-armer Vettori.