January 31, 2008	Thursday	Muharram 21, 1429

WELLINGTON, Jan 30: Explosive batsman Jesse Ryder has been given a chance to prove himself at the international level after being named in New Zealand’s squads for the Twenty20 and One-day Internationals against England.

Ryder has butted heads with New Zealand cricket officials in the past, but chief selector Sir Richard Hadlee said the 23-year-old’s attitude had improved.

“We think he’s made tremendous progress over the last 12 months. There have been issues but we see him as an exciting talent,” he stated after the squads were named on Wednesday.

“He’s an explosive batsman at the top of the order. If he comes off, I think New Zealand cricket will see something really exciting.”

Seam bowler Tim Southee is another newcomer in the Twenty20 squad, while all-rounder Paul Hitchcock returns to both squads after last appearing for the team in 2003-04.

Batsman Mathew Sinclair was dropped from the squad to make way for Ryder, while bowlers James Franklin and Mark Gillespie missed out through injury.

England will face New Zealand in two Twenty20 matches next week. The five match one-day series starts on Feb 9.

The home side have left open the option of changing its squad for the last two one-dayers.

New Zealand Twenty20 squad: Daniel Vettori (captain), Brendon McCullum, Jesse Ryder, Jamie How, Ross Taylor, Scott Styris, Jacob Oram, Peter Fulton, Kyle Mills, Paul Hitchcock, Chris Martin, Tim Southee.

One-day squad: Vettori (captain), McCullum, Ryder, How, Taylor, Styris, Fulton, Oram, Mills, Hitchcock, Martin, Michael Mason, Jeetan Patel.—AFP