Rutherford, Latham Come in to Twenty20 Squad

Auckland: Test opener Hamish Rutherford and another member of the Test squad Tom Latham will join the Blackcaps for the Twenty20 games along with spinner Roneel Hira.

Leaving the squad that was knocked out of the ICC Champions Trophy on Monday are the injured trio of Daniel Vettori, Grant Elliott and Tim Southee, along with batsmen Kane Williamson and Luke Ronchi.

The two Twenty20s are on Tuesday 25 June and Thursday 27 June and they will both be held at the Oval in London. The games will start at 6.30pm local time (5.30am NZ time). The Kiwis will warm up for the two matches with a game against Kent in Canterbury on Saturday evening.

Meanwhile Vettori had surgery on his troublesome left Achilles in London yesterday. Blackcaps physiotherapist Paul Close says the former skipper’s operation went well.

"Dan has been suffering from this injury for the past year and surgery was the only option to prolong his career with the Kiwis," says Close.

New Zealand Twenty20 squad

• Brendon McCullum (Otago Volts, captain)
• Hamish Rutherford (Otago Volts)
• Corey Anderson (Northern Knights)
• Ross Taylor (Central Stags)
• Tom Latham (Canterbury Wizards, wk)
• Ian Butler (Otago Volts)
• James Franklin (Wellington Firebirds)
• Martin Guptill (Auckland Aces)
• Roneel Hira (Canterbury Wizards)
• Mitchell McClenaghan (Auckland Aces)
• Nathan McCullum (Otago Volts)
• Kyle Mills (Auckland Aces)
• Colin Munro (Auckland Aces)
• Doug Bracewell (Central Stags)