Butler gets his chance, McMillan out
Fast bowler Ian Butler has finally got his chance on New Zealand's cricket tour of Australia, but there is no room for all-rounders Chris Harris and Andre Adams for Sunday's one-day series opener in Melbourne.
Test discard Craig McMillan has also surrendered his one-day place as New Zealand coach John Bracewell kept faith with struggling batsman Hamish Marshall.
Marshall was listed to bat at No.5, two spots lower than his usual berth at first drop which will be filled by Mathew Sinclair.
Although the Telstra Dome drop-in pitch is expected to favour medium pace, 249-match veteran Harris and Adams lost out as Bracewell finally turned to the pace of Butler.
Butler was expected to feature in the two-Test series but has been a virtual passenger on tour since bowling in the warm-up game against NSW last month.
Butler will need a more accurate effort than he produced against the Victorian Second XI on Thursday when he took 3-48 off 7.3 overs.
McMillan's disappointing tour continued when his all-round skills were overlooked for one-day specialist Marshall, who failed to fire on the tour of Bangladesh, and in three subsequent innings against second-tier opposition in Australia.
Marshall scored only nine runs in three one-dayers against Bangladesh and has fared little better, managing 18 and 0 against a depleted NSW, and 13 on Thursday.
Bracewell said Butler, 23, was jumping out of his skin to play what will be his 14th one-day international.
"He is keen on a game of cricket. These tours can be frustrating when there are not many lead-up games. But this gives him a good opportunity to start the series."
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