CHRISTCHURCH, April 8: Fast bowler Shane Bond and batsman Nathan Astle have been chosen in the New Zealand squad for the tour to England which begins next month. The 14-man party was named by coach John Bracewell on Thursday but Bond, who has been suffering from stress fractures of the lower back, and Astle, recovering from knee surgery, must pass fitness tests before the players fly out on April 27.

Seam bowler Daryl Tuffey (knee injury) will also need a fitness check before the squad leaves. There are no real selection surprises although Bracewell opted for seamer Kyle Mills ahead of spinners Bruce Martin and Paul Wiseman, and in-form batsman Mathew Sinclair.

It has been a long road back for Bond, who has come through two one-day matches over the past week with no problem. He was first injured during the tour of Sri Lanka last May and returned home to recuperate.

Bond went back to playing club cricket in Christchurch in November but then broke down again within a month and missed the home series against Pakistan and South Africa.

Astle toured India but returned home in October after the Test matches, missing the triangular one-day series which also involved Australia. He was named in the Canterbury team for the State Shield one-day final against Central Districts in early February but the batsman who holds the record for the fastest Test double century (153 balls) had to pull out.

He underwent keyhole surgery on his troublesome right knee and missed the recent South Africa series. Tuffey did not play in the final Test against South Africa owing to a worsening knee injury.

Bracewell said there were a number of players who had performed well during the season and could count themselves unlucky not to be chosen. Mills, who has only featured in One-day Internationals, is the only uncapped Test player in the squad.

Squad: Stephen Fleming (captain), Nathan Astle, Shane Bond, Chris Cairns, Chris Martin, Kyle Mills, Brendon McCullum, Craig McMillan, Jacob Oram, Michael Papps, Mark Richardson, Scott Styris, Daryl Tuffey, Daniel Vettori. -Reuters