Cricket: Swann out for test series

England spinner Graeme Swann has been ruled out of the New Zealand-England cricket series with an elbow injury. Photo / Getty Images.

England spinner Graeme Swann has been ruled out of the New Zealand-England cricket series with an elbow injury.

Swann will travel to the United States next week to have an operation and will undergo a period of recovery and rehabilitation to try to be ready for the early summer and the upcoming Ashes series.

He will be replaced in the squad by James Tredwell and Monty Panesar is playing in Swann's place during the first test.

Rain has delayed the start of the first ANZ test between the Black Caps and England with play not expected until the afternoon, due to rain in Dunedin.

The covers have been on the pitch since 10.40am after the start was initially delayed due to poor light. But rain clouds arrived causing an even longer delay which isn't expected to end till at least 1pm, at the earliest.

Earlier New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum won the toss and decided to bowl.

When play begins Black Caps spinner Bruce Martin and opening batsman Hamish Rutherford will make their test debuts with McCullum deciding to go with three seamers. Ian Butler has been named as 12th man.

New Zealand
Peter Fulton, Hamish Rutherford, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Dean Brownlie, Brendon McCullum*, BJ Watling, Tim Southee, Bruce Martin, Neil Wagner, Tim Boult.

England
Alistair Cook*, Nick Compton, Ian Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Joe Root, Matt Prior, Stuart Broad, Steven Finn, James Anderson, Monty Panesar.

- additional reporting by Andrew Alderson