McMillan's absence from Champions' team gives Sinclair his chance

Three New Zealand players, including high-ranked middle-order batsman Craig McMillan have opted out of the ICC Champions Trophy team named today for security reasons.

McMillan, opening batsman Matt Horne and leg-spinner Brooke Walker have all declined to make the tour to Sri Lanka.

McMillan said today that he had made the decision following the events that happened in Pakistan earlier this year.

The three were members of the side which abandoned its tour when their hotel was caught in a bomb blast that destroyed a bus in the street outside.

"It was a very difficult decision to make but I didn't think I was mentally ready to cope with that. I made the decision in the last couple of weeks," he said.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) sought its own security assessment of the situation in Colombo where the ICC Champions Trophy is being staged next month. TelstraClear Black Caps manager Jeff Crowe and the team's security liaison officer visited Sri Lanka and provided a study which was then given to all prospective players.

NZC chief executive Martin Snedden then asked players to consider the report and state their availability.

McMillan said the New Zealand team in Pakistan had been very lucky to walk out of Pakistan with no-one seriously injured.

He said he had been to Sri Lanka three times before and on each occasion there had been disturbances of one sort or another.

Any future consideration of availability to tour Pakistan (New Zealand have a tour there after the World Cup next year) would depend on the circumstances at the time.

McMillan said he discussed his decision with two or three other players and with NZC and they had been very supportive of his decision.

McMillan's absence allows Mathew Sinclair to have a place in the side and to push his case for inclusion in the World Cup squad.

Also missing from the side is young fast bowler Ian Butler who has been replaced by Aucklander Kyle Mills who is coming back from injury. Mills has been playing with the New Zealand Academy team in Townsville over the last week.

"Kyle made the ball swing and took wickets at the top of the order in Sri Lanka last year," he said.

"He has fully recovered from his injury and he gives us a new ball bowling option as well as being a very useful mid to lower order batsman."

Glen Sulzberger, the Central Districts all-rounder, has been named as the spinning back-up for Daniel Vettori, although selection chairman Sir Richard Hadlee said Sulzberger was being named primarily as a batsman.

"Glen Sulzberger has a good first-class batting record and will be required to bat in the top six.

"He will also be our second spin bowling option should it be required."

The full team is: Stephen Fleming (captain), Nathan Astle, Shane Bond, Chris Harris, Paul Hitchcock, Kyle Mills, Chris Nevin, Jacob Oram, Mathew Sinclair, Scott Styris, Glen Sulzberger, Daryl Tuffey, Daniel Vettori, Lou Vincent.

Ruled out through injury were Chris Cairns, Andre Adams and Shayne O'Connor.

Hadlee, said the vacancies left by the unavailable players provided opportunities for others.

"Mathew Sinclair has another opportunity to cement a place in the team for himself and we will be relying on him to make a contribution at the top of the order," he said.

Hadlee said the toughest decision was omitting Butler.

"We were very impressed with the progress Ian has made and he undoubtedly has a big future in the game.

"However, at this stage in the one-day game we believe he is a little bit too expensive and he has a tendency to bowl too many no-balls.

"We have asked Ian to work on this aspect of his game and we expect he will come back a more effective one-day bowler."

In preparation for the Champions Trophy and looking ahead to the World Cup next year, a 20-man squad will travel to Sydney on August 31 for an eight-day training camp. During that time they will play four practice matches, two against New South Wales and two against Tasmania.

The training squad to visit Sydney will include the squad travelling to Sri Lanka as well as six players who will not travel to Sri Lanka. Those players are: Butler, James Franklin, Matthew Hart, Horne, McMillan and Walker.