Kiwis consider England squad

Lindsay Crocker said the tourists will all get central contracts

New Zealand selectors met on Thursday in Christchurch to choose the tour squad for England and begin the process of handing out central contracts for the 2008/09 season.

New Zealand Cricket contracts 20 players, with outgoing panel manager Sir Richard Hadlee, coach John Bracewell and selectors Dion Nash and Glenn Turner responsible for naming both lists

Black Caps general manager Lindsay Crocker said most players were likely to be feature in both when the rosters are released next week.

"Generally speaking, all the players on the tour of England will have got contracts, but often their relative rankings are a topic of much discussion among the players so we want to get them out of the way a bit earlier," he told reporters.

The squad for England will cover April’s warm-up matches and three Test matches.

Five squad members – Daniel Vettori, Brendon McCullum, Ross Taylor, Jacob Oram and Kyle Mills – will arrive later after stints in the Indian Premier League.

Contracted wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins is likely to cover McCullum’s absence, and may even take the gloves in the Tests, with the vice-captain opening if he impresses,

The other spaces will open opportunities for a number of fringe players to feature in the early stages.

Those under consideration include emerging all-rounder Tim Southee and his Northern Knights team-mates Daniel Flynn, the in-form left-hand batsman, wicketkeeper and opening batsman BJ Watling and captain James Marshall.

Grant Elliott, the Wellington all-rounder and even Jesse Ryder, the opener whose impressive start to international cricket was derailed after a late night bar-room incident, could be considered.

The squad leaves for England on April 22, with a match against an MCC XI opening the tour in Arundel three days later.