NZ Champions Trophy preliminary squad named

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The selection process for New Zealand's Champions Trophy cricket team took a step forward today with the announcement of a 30-man preliminary squad.

The squad for the one-day tournament in South Africa in September-October will be halved on August 23.

The bulk, if not all, of the final selection will be in Sri Lanka or with the NZ A team in India when the 15-man team is finalised.

England-based Wellington allrounder James Franklin and limited overs specialist Scott Styris made the initial cut despite not being required for international duty on the sub-continent.

Canterbury batsman Shanan Stewart is also included although he will not tour with the A team, which will play up to five two-day matches in Chennai between August 16-29.

The A tour gives six players the opportunity to acclimatise to sub-continent conditions before they cross to Sri Lanka for the Twenty20 and one-day international segment of the tour.

Shane Bond, Kyle Mills, Neil Broom, Gareth Hopkins, Peter McGlashan and Nathan McCullum join the New Zealand team after the two-test series.

Limited overs specialist Ian Butler arrives from New Zealand for the Twenty20 games and Tri-Series matches involving Sri Lanka and India.

Preliminary squad:

Daniel Vettori, Brent Arnel, Shane Bond, Neil Broom, Ian Butler, Craig Cumming, Brendon Diamanti, Grant Elliott, James Franklin, Peter Fulton, Martin Guptill, Gareth Hopkins, Jamie How, Peter Ingram, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Peter McGlashan, James Marshall, Chris Martin, Kyle Mills, Iain O'Brien, Jacob Oram, Jeetan Patel, Aaron Redmond, Jesse Ryder, Shanan Stewart, Tim Southee, Scott Styris, Ross Taylor, Daryl Tuffy.

- NZPA