Vettori out of second Test against England

LEEDS, United Kingdom (AFP) –

New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori reacts after taking a catch during the third Test against India in Nagpur on November 21, 2010. Vettori was on Thursday ruled out of playing in the second and final Test against England starting at Leeds on Friday after doubts over his ability to last a five-day match.

Daniel Vettori was on Thursday ruled out of playing in the second and final Test against England starting at Leeds on Friday after doubts over his ability to last a five-day match.

Former captain Vettori hasn’t played a Test for nearly a year, mainly because of Achilles trouble, and was only originally selected for the one-day leg of this tour.

But a calf injury suffered by his fellow left-arm spinner Bruce Martin during New Zealand’s thumping 170-run first Test defeat at Lord’s saw Vettori make an earlier than expected arrival in England.

He trained Wednesday but New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum told reporters at Headingley on Thursday: “Dan is out of tomorrow’s (Friday’s) game. He didn’t scrub up that well… it was a bridge too far.”

Doug Bracewell, who missed out at Lord’s, will play at Headingley meaning the tourists will field four seamers, with spin provided by part-time off-break bowler Kane Williamson.