NZ send Vettori home

New Zealand's left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori is to be sent home from the tour of Australia because of an ankle injury but may return for the third Test, the team said on Tuesday.

Vettori tore a ligament in his ankle while playing in the second match of the tour, against an Australian Capital Territory Invitational XI on Sunday.

He was taken from the field on a stretcher after trying to field a ball off his own bowling during the first day of the three-day match.

"The injury is debilitating in the short term, but Vettori is expected to make a full recovery within a month," New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said in a prepared statement released on Tuesday.

Team manager Jeff Crowe said the injury could have been a lot worse.

"Clearly Daniel is a major loss to our side, particularly when we're about to play the best team in world cricket," Crowe said.

"However, when you consider we initially thought he may have broken his ankle, this is not the worst result."

Vettori will fly to New Zealand on Thursday where he will undergo intensive treatment, NZC said.

Two spinners, Paul Wiseman and Brooke Walker, were among the players named on standby for the tour and one may be called into the squad, NZC said.

The NZC statement said the team expected Vettori to make a full recovery in time for the third Test starting on November 30 in Perth.

Australia have injury problems of their own ahead of the first Test which starts in Brisbane on November 8.

Captain Steve Waugh will play only one club match on November 3-4 in Sydney as he tries to overcome a calf muscle complaint while fast bowler Brett Lee, who is battling to overcome a side strain, returned to club cricket last weekend.

Mail Cricket Editor