Cricket: Vettori off injury list

The country's cricket selectors would have been breathing a sigh of relief last night after Daniel Vettori came through his first bowling workout unscathed.

NZ's premier spinner, returning to top-level action for Northern Districts after being laid off with a stress fracture injury for three months, got through eight overs against Otago at Oamaru without mishap.

Vettori picked up two for 31, which was encouraging news for the national selectors.

ND won the match by eight runs, but it wasn't a perfect day for Vettori - he opened the batting with Simon Doull, but neither managed to score.

Vettori broke down in the first test in Zimbabwe at Bulawayo in September.

He has tentatively been lined up to return to international play when Sri Lanka arrive at the end of the month for a series of one-dayers, then Pakistan will visit.