Centurion: As if the task at hand - facing Australia in a final - was not gargantuan enough, New Zealand lost their captain and most valuable player, Daniel Vettori, to a hamstring strain.

New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat first in the ICC Champions Trophy final against Australia at the SuperSport Park here on Monday.

Kiwis skipper Daniel Vettori has been ruled out of the final. off-spinner Jeetan Patel replaces his skipper in the playing eleven. The Aussies have retained the same eleven that played in the semi-finals against England.