KEY POINTS:
BRISTOL - Key New Zealand allrounder Jacob Oram has lost the race to be fit while paceman Mark Gillespie earned a recall for tonight's (NZT) crunch third one-day cricket international against England here.
Captain Daniel Vettori had hoped Oram would be cleared to play as a batsman only
as he recovers from a hamstring strain, but after a net session at Bristol's County Ground it was decided not to risk him.
It means just one change from the no-result in the second ODI in Birmingham, with Gillespie's extra pace and death bowling ability earning him the nod over Michael Mason who conceded 24 runs off two overs at Edgbaston.
With New Zealand trailing 0-1 and needing to win here to keep their hopes alive of winning the five-match series, Oram's presence would have provided a handy boost.
"Our first port of call was to see if we could play him as a batter but that brings in the fielding component and the running between the wickets. I'd be surprised if he was fit to play," Vettori said before the team were confirmed.
It is still hoped Oram will return for Wednesday's fourth ODI at The Oval in London, which was the original target after he suffered the injury during warmups for the Twenty20 international in Manchester a week ago.
His replacement, Grant Elliott, proved an inspired callup at Edgbaston and was New Zealand's best bowler with figures of three for 23 off five overs on his ODI debut.
The team's performance in the second ODI, where they needed just seven more runs from the 20th over to complete victory before rain intervened, gave the tourists encouragement they could still win the series.
With key batsman Brendon McCullum leading the way with 60 not out, New Zealand gained a points decision against a previously dominant England.
Vettori felt it might signal a momentum shift between the sides.
"I hope so. The English side will talk a lot about it and try to come back pretty hard at us.
"This is a chance for us to respond to that and come up against an England team who I'd imagine would be desperate to win this game.
"With the two games in London, if we can head up there 1-1 then I'd imagine we'd be in a pretty good state, as opposed to trying to chase 0-2 down.
"It's pretty important to us, I know the weather forecast is not great again so it may be a shortened version and we've just got to be ready for it like we were at Edgbaston."
Light rain is forecast for Bristol, with a maximum temperature of 18degC.
Should rain shorten the match, the umpires now have the power to reduce the innings break to 10 minutes.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) made the rule change after the minimum 30-minute break at Edgbaston cost New Zealand valuable time in their run chase.
"We came off thinking we could have won the game. It leaves a bit of a sinking feeling in your stomach but we've got to realise our performance was a good one and try to replicate it here," Vettori said.
New Zealand's last visit to Bristol in 2004, where coach John Bracewell was based during his time with Gloucestershire, was a successful one as captain Stephen Fleming's 99 led them to a six-wicket win over England.
There are just three New Zealand survivors from that match: Vettori, Scott Styris and gloveman Gareth Hopkins.
England appear likely to select an unchanged team, with left-arm paceman Ryan Sidebottom still nursing a back injury which will require a fitness test on match morning.
New Zealand
Daniel Vettori (captain), Jamie How, Brendon McCullum, Ross Taylor, Scott Styris, Daniel Flynn, Grant Elliott, Gareth Hopkins, Kyle Mills, Tim Southee, Mark Gillespie.
- NZPA
