New Zealand’s Trent Boult set to return against Australia

Left-arm pacer missed the second Pakistan Test due to knee discomfort

SYDNEY/ AUCKLAND: Trent Boult is expected to be fit for New Zealand’s opening ODI against Australia in Sydney on Sunday after the strike bowler missed the second Test win over Pakistan due to knee discomfort.

Boult sustained a knee injury on New Zealand’s tour of India and he felt some discomfort when he slipped during the first Test against Pakistan in Christchurch earlier this month. He was ruled out of the second match in Hamilton, which New Zealand won by 138 runs to clinch their first series win over Pakistan since 1985.

Coach Mike Hesson said Boult was tracking “very well” for Sunday’s opener in the Chappell-Hadlee series having passed a fitness test. “He’s recovered. I think when you know you’ve only got to bowl 10 overs, it’s a lot easier than obviously the demands of the Test match,” he said.

Boult’s return would be a boost for Hesson’s side as they make the quick transition from Test matches to one-day cricket, though captain Kane Williamson said the confidence from their victory over Pakistan would help.



“One thing I do know is winning’s a lot better than losing, so I guess it’s nice coming away with a series win, having played very good cricket as a unit,” said Williamson. “In saying that, the change in format, also the change in side, means that it is a separate challenge. It is important you bring yourself back to the challenges that are in front of you.”

Hesson added that New Zealand could also take confidence from their consistent performances in the shorter versions of the game over the last two to three years. “We’re a reliable white-ball side,” he said. “A lot of these guys have never played in Australia. There'll be some good crowds, I'm sure, over there, plenty of hostility, and for any New Zealand team going over there it's an exciting time, so we're looking forward to it.”

The first match is at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday before the two sides clash in Canberra on December 6 and finish the series in Melbourne on December 9.



Australia’s Pat Cummins to make comeback in ODIs

Pat Cummins' international career has had more than its fair share of false starts due to injuries but captain Steve Smith hopes the upcoming one-day series against New Zealand will prove a launchpad for the Australia fast-bowler to kick on.

The right armer, who made a dream Test debut against South Africa as a raw 18-year-old in 2011 with match figures of seven for 117, was recalled to the Australian side for the first time in more than a year for the three-match Chappell-Hadlee series.

The 23-year-old missed all of last season after yet another stress fracture in his lower back but returned with a vengeance in Australia’s domestic one-day competition last month, taking 15 wickets at 18.60.

Chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns said when the one-day squad was named last week that he was particularly pleased to see him back bowling with real pace. With Australia choosing not to rest Test spearheads Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, Smith had three genuinely quick bowlers at his disposal for the series against New Zealand.



“It looked like he bowled with some good pace so it's nice to have the option of Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins at our disposal,” said Steve Smith. "It's very exciting."

Cummins, man of the match in his Test debut, has been blighted by injury since, suffering heel problems, a torn side muscle and stress fractures in his back. Such have been the extent of his injuries, he has played just eight first-class games since he made his debut for New South Wales against Tasmania in Hobart as a 17-year-old. His last first-class game was on last year's Ashes tour of England.

However, Smith said that if he could prove his fitness through limited overs cricket then he could be in the frame for Australia's tour of India next February. "Obviously he's going to play these one-dayers. I dare say he'll play the one-dayers at the back end of the summer as well and I think after Christmas he might be playing some Shield cricket," said Smith. "India's possible. He's obviously got to play some Shield cricket first and see how he goes ... how his body holds up. So far he's going pretty well."