New Zealand to revamp top order for West Indies tie

ST JOHN'S: New Zealand batsman Hamish Marshall will bat at number three in their opening World Cup second stage Super Eights match against West Indies on Thursday due to a top order revamp forced by injury.   

Peter Fulton is expected to open the innings with skipper Stephen Fleming after Lou Vincent (broken wrist) and Ross Taylor (hamstring strain) were forced out.   

Marshall will fly in only later on Tuesday after Vincent was forced to return home having been hit by paceman Shane Bond in the nets.   

New Zealand topped Group C ahead of England despite a series of injuries. Paceman Daryl Tuffey has also been ruled out with a bicep injury and he has been replaced by Chris Martin.   

"It has been a very dramatic week," Fleming told reporters on Tuesday.

"Obviously Lou's not playing and having Hamish back changes the balance of the side. I guess the best thing is the bowlers are still intact. They are the usual suspects."   

Strike bowler Bond also has a history of breakdowns.   

Fleming hoped Fulton and Marshall would help provide the kind of starts needed to pave the way for the explosive New Zealand middle order batsmen like Scott Styris, Jacob Oram and Craig McMillan to build on.   

"Hamish has got a very important 36 hours," he said. "But knowing he is going to play and coming off some runs at home and just being back in the team will give him a bit of adrenalin, a bit of energy, I'm sure."   

The seven-week tournament ends with the final in Barbados on April 28.