Styris on track for Champs

New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris is on track to be fit for the team’s first match of the Champions Trophy which begins next week after successfully handling his first match appearance since suffering a back injury and returning home from Middlesex last month.

Although he did not bat or bowl, Styris fielded for the entire 50 overs of his team’s innings in a warm-up match held at the Lincoln University on Saturday. According to manager Lindsay Crocker, Styris bowled a reasonable spell the day before and is well on track in his recovery.

In the same match, a number of bowlers returning from injury bowled significant spells – Shane Bond, Jacob Oram, Kyle Mills and Daniel Vettori – with none having any difficulty or concerns in doing so and Mills and Bond picking up two wickets apiece.

New Zealand’s first match of the tournament is against South Africa at Mumbai on October 16.