New Zealand receive major boost with Trent Boult and Colin de Grandhomme cleared for Australia Tests
The Black Caps will take a full-strength squad to Australia for the three-Test series after Trent Boult and Colin de Grandhomme passed fitness tests.
World class seamer Boult (side strain) and allrounder de Grandhomme (abdominal tear) bowled with some intensity at Mount Maunganui's Bay Oval on Friday.
New Zealand Cricket says the pair trained successfully and they will be on the plane to Perth on Saturday for the first Test starting on Thursday.
Neither player is completely cleared to start the pink ball Test, with coach Gary Stead saying they will need to bowl long stints at practice to prove their readiness.
Boult will be a significant weapon for New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson with the pink ball AAP
Both suffered damage in the first Test win over England at Bay Oval two weeks ago. They sat out the drawn second Test in Hamilton.
Boult is regarded as the less likely of the two to win his fitness race, although New Zealand cricket says both are making good progress.
The left-arm new ball specialist has taken 255 scalps at an average of 27.64 and has shone in both pink ball Tests New Zealand have contested.
Big-hitting de Grandhomme has lifted his batting average above 40 and boasts a bowling average below 30.
