Thanks to a welcoming yorker from Alan Mullally, Croft, the Glamorgan spinner, limped away from the nets with a badly bruised left foot.

As for Thorpe, the Surrey batsman is suffering from a slight calf strain which developed towards the end of a four-hour session at Eden Park.

Croft's injury looks the more serious and could put him out of contention for tomorrow's limited-overs match against the New Zealand Cricket Academy in New Plymouth.

He was hit on a big toe by the first delivery he received from Mullally. ``It looks a mess but there are no thoughts at the moment of sending him for an X-ray,'' said David Lloyd, the England coach. ``We'll see how he is tomorrow.''

Having played every game during the Zimbabwe leg of the winter's tour, a one-match lay-off would not do Croft's prospects any real harm.

Thorpe, though, will be anxious to play at New Plymouth following England's decision to omit him from both of last week's one-day internationals in Harare.

The New Zealand selectors plan to pick several Test candidates, including their top fast bowler, Danny Morrison, in the invitation side to face the tourists in the four-day match at Palmerston North starting on Monday.

The match may also assume trial-like proportions for batsmen Blair Pocock and Mark Greatbatch, plus all-rounders Justin Vaughan, Dipak Patel and Chris Harris. All have Test experience but are not automatic choices for their country.

Curtly Ambrose, the West Indies fast bowler, will have a late fitness test on a strained hamstring before tomorrow's World Series one-day match against Pakistan in Perth.

Courtney Walsh, the West Indies captain, said Ambrose had not picked up a ball since the seven-wicket win against Australia on Sunday.

India, who have sickness and injury problems, will not be sending for replacements ahead of the third Test against South Africa in Johannesburg next week.

Madan Lal, India's coach, said he hoped fast bowlers Javagal Srinath, who is suffering from a hairline fracture to the left middle finger, and Venkatesh Prasad, who has contracted a stomach bug, would be fit for the Test, which begins today week.

India have already lost the series after defeats in Durban and Cape Town.

Both bowlers will be absent from India's next two games, a day-night match in Kimberley today against Griqualand West followed by a three-day fixture against Free State in Bloemfontein.