Cricket: Question mark hangs over captain Fleming

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming is in doubt for the first match of the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy one-day cricket series against Australia next month for undisclosed health reasons.

Black Caps coach John Bracewell named an extended 14-man squad today -- which featured the inclusion of all rounder Chris Cairns -- to cater for the fitness of Fleming.

"Stephen Fleming may not be available for the first match, following a personal medical matter, but hopes to be available for the remainder of the series," Bracewell said in a statement.

"Daniel Vettori will captain the Black Caps should Stephen not be available and this would present him with an excellent opportunity to further his development in this area.

"Should Stephen be available, then we will release a player from the squad back to their State domestic side."

Cairns, 35, returns for the three-match series after having been surprisingly left out of the 0-4 one-day series loss in South Africa which finished earlier this month.

Bracewell said 208-match veteran Cairns had returned to the fitness level required.

"We sent Chris away to work on his cricket fitness and he has shown a great deal of discipline in his training and matches and we believe he is ready for a return to international cricket," Bracewell said.

"He understands that it is a big step up to play Australia after taking part in pre-season domestic matches but I am happy that if he continues the work ethic he has shown he will be up to the task."

Oram was unable to bowl in South Africa and returned home with back and foot injury concerns. Bracewell said he had undergone fitness assessments over the past week during games with the New Zealand Academy in Christchurch and had performed well there.

"He has bowled during these matches and we are happy that he seems free of back pain at present, and that he seems to be regaining form and confidence," Bracewell said.

In the only changes from the 15-man one-day squad that faced South Africa, Cairns replaces injured all rounder Andre Adams while spin bowler Jeetan Patel is omitted.

Seam bowler Chris Martin is unlucky to miss out despite impressing during the recent New Zealand A tour of Sri Lanka.

Perhaps the player to benefit from the doubt over Fleming is batsman James Marshall, who has played five tests but just three one-day internationals.

Those three matches were against Australia earlier this year when he scored just 23 runs in three innings.

The series begins in Auckland on December 3, followed by matches at Wellington's Westpac Stadium on December 7 and in Christchurch on December 10.

Squad:

Stephen Fleming (captain), Nathan Astle, Lou Vincent, Hamish Marshall, James Marshall, Scott Styris, Craig McMillan, Brendon McCullum, Chris Cairns, Jacob Oram, Daniel Vettori, Kyle Mills, James Franklin, Shane Bond.