Otago opening batsman Brendon McCullum has forced his way into the CLEAR Black Caps side to compete in the VB tri-series with Australia and South Africa starting next week.

It is a rapid rise for McCullum from the New Zealand Under-19 side which he led so capably last summer in a home series against South Africa where he dominated with the bat.

He is a graduate of New Zealand's Cricket Academy in 2001 and recently achieved his maiden first-class century for his Otago side in the State Championship.

He has been preferred to Mathew Sinclair who the selection panel chairman Sir Richard Hadlee said had to address some problems with his technique.

"He has been very vulnerable with the new ball and taking him back to Australia and the hostile environment of the two teams [Australia and South Africa] is not a good option at this stage," he said.

The selectors were looking further down the track with McCullum's selection and the panel were keen to test him in the VB environment.

"We are not apologetic about introducing youth," Hadlee said.

The team is: Stephen Fleming (captain), Andre Adams, Shane Bond, Chris Cairns, Chris Harris, Brendon McCullum, Craig McMillan, Kyle Mills, Dion Nash, Adam Parore, Mark Richardson, Scott Styris, Daniel Vettori, Lou Vincent.

Whether McCullum plays in many of the matches on the tour would depend on the tour selection committee.

"Brendon has been scoring prolifically for the State Otago Volts and at a strike rate of over 90.

"He's young and talented and it's his challenge now to take the step up to the highest level," Hadlee said.

The selection of Adam Parore as the preferred wicket-keeper ahead of Chris Nevin was in response to Parore's own reaction to being excluded from the team named to tour Pakistan.

"We put the pressure on him and gave him reasons why he had not been selected. He is the best 'keeper in world cricket at the moment and he is back into some sort of batting form," he said.

Hadlee said the selectors had been on the phone all day and there had been one or two split decisions in the selection but they were all agreed on the side now.

There would be some disappointed players, like Chris Martin, Sinclair, James Franklin and others but there were just not enough places to put all these players in the side.

Hadlee also announced there was a much more pleasing prognosis on Nathan Astle's broken hand and there was every indication that he would be ready to prove his fitness in some State Shield games being played on January 20 and 22.

Astle would be asked to take part in those games and if he came through them satisfactorily he would probably join the side as New Zealand's 15th player for the back-to-back games in Adelaide later that week.

Mark Richardson has also been included in the one-day side for the first time.

Hadlee said the selectors had not wanted to complicate things for Richardson after he made his Test debut last summer.

However, this season the selectors felt his range of stroke play had broadened and he was in good form.

"He deserves his opportunity," Hadlee said.

"Mark has been very consistent and he has shown us that he has increased his range of scoring shots.

"He really wants to play one-day cricket and he now has the opportunity to prove his worth," Hadlee said.

The options for an opening partner for him centred on Lou Vincent or McCullum. Either player could also bat No 6 in the order.

Kyle Mills has also been included. He had gone through some difficult times recently and Hadlee was hopeful the expression of faith given him by the selectors would be a boost for him.

Andre Adams has also been included and with his outstanding play this summer is shaping as a central player in New Zealand's strategy for the future.

"As well as being an aggressive middle to lower order batsman, we believe Andre will have an important role to play bowling at the death.

"It's our belief in his ability to bowl with control in that situation that gave him the edge over some other contenders."

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