Vettori Ruled Out, New Zealand Bat First In Trophy Final

Vettori Ruled Out, New Zealand Bat First In Trophy Final

Brendon McCullum (right) captains New Zealand as Daniel Vettori misses out.

©REUTERS/Mike Hutchings (SOUTH AFRICA SPORT CRICKET) Picture Supplied by Action Images

Australia v New Zealand
Scorecard
ICC Champions Trophy Final, Centurion

New Zealand were dealt a hammer blow ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy final when Daniel Vettori was ruled out with a hamstring injury although stand-in captain Brendon McCullum did at least win the toss and decide to bat first against Australia.

Jeetan Patel comes into the side as Vettori's replacement while reigning champions Australia are unchanged. New Zealand qualified for the final with a five-wicket win over Pakistan while Australia beat England by nine wickets.

Both sides have won the tournament once before and for the first time, the tournament will be won by a team that has already tasted Champions Trophy success.

New Zealand won in Kenya in 2000 when they beat India and Vettori's injury is the latest in a long line of problems they have had to overcome: Jacob Oram, Ian Butler, Jesse Ryder, Daryl Tuffey and Grant Elliott have all picked up injuries on the run to the final.

Australia: Tim Paine, Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Hussey, Callum Ferguson, Cameron White, James Hopes, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Nathan Hauritz, Peter Siddle

New Zealand: Brendon McCullum (captain), Aaron Redmond, Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Grant Elliott, Neil Broom, James Franklin, Jeetan Patel, Kyle Mills, Ian Butler, Shane Bond

© Cricket World 2009

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