AUCKLAND (Reuters)
New Zealand left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori has been asked to sit out his Northern Districts side's next match in the State Championship to ensure his fitness for the forthcoming Test series against England.

Vettori was out of cricket last season after suffering a back injury in Zimbabwe, and complained of soreness at the completion of last month's one-day series against England which immediately followed the triangular series in Australia.

New Zealand Cricket medical adviser Warren Frost said: "He has had a huge workload from the tour of Australia, the triangular series there, and then the England one-day series and he deserves a rest.

"Daniel is important for the success of New Zealand in the Test series and this rest is important for the future well-being of his back."

Frost talked to all the players likely to be involved in the Test series after the last one-day match in Dunedin and suggested Vettori miss the Northern Districts game against Wellington. Allrounder Chris Harris, who is unlikely to be in the Test side, was also asked to rest.

Vettori is a certainty for the Test side and his next game will probably be the first Test in Christchurch starting on March 13.

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