Styris joins New Zealand as cover

New Zealand have sought cover for Grant Elliott, left, by bringing in fellow seam bowling all-rounder Scott Styris

Scott Styris has been called up as precautionary cover for injured all-rounder Grant Elliott ahead of New Zealand's crunch ICC Champions Trophy semi-final against Pakistan on Saturday.

Elliott chipped a bone in his right thumb when batting in the latter stages of New Zealand's four-wicket victory over England.

The 30-year-old Wellingtonian has trained since Tuesday's game but is under continuing medical observation and is in doubt for the semi-final in Johannesburg.

Elliott is in danger of joining a bulging injured list at the Champions Trophy that includes Jesse Ryder (leg), Daryl Tuffey (hand) and Jacob Oram (hamstring).

This has prompted New Zealand to fly Styris over to join the squad straight away so he has time to acclimatise to local conditions and prepare to play against Pakistan, if required and if cleared by the ICC.

This will hopefully avoid such a situation as the one that befell Aaron Redmond, who was called in as cover for Ryder but, due to unavoidable delays in his travel schedule, arrived too close to the start of the England match to be considered.

Styris is travelling from India, where he was preparing for the Twenty20 Champions League competition with his IPL-winning Deccan Chargers side.

He is the only New Zealand squad member who played in the victorious 2000 Champions Trophy team in Kenya, when the Kiwis also beat Pakistan in a semi-final on their way to lifting the silverware.