Cricket: Flynn ready to fight against South Africa

Daniel Flynn. Photo / Ross Setford.

Daniel Flynn is best remembered for walking off Old Trafford in 2008 with blood dripping from his mouth and two teeth missing, after being hit by a James Anderson bouncer.

He was cleared of concussion but vomited later and, despite wanting to bat in the second innings, was ordered not to. He was upset about that, especially as New Zealand folded to be all out for 114 and allowed England an easier target of 294 to win.

It's the same sort of attitude Flynn will need when facing South Africa in the third test starting in Wellington on Friday. New Zealand need a fighter, and Flynn is that.

The series has often been torrid for the New Zealand batsmen - just ask dumped opener Rob Nicol - as South Africa's pace attack of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander have hunted as a pack.

Flynn backs himself against the Proteas, and has every reason to. He is in arguably the best form of his career and on Tuesday scored his third century, in three consecutive Plunket Shield matches, for Northern Districts.

His return from hip surgery has been remarkable. In the five first-class innings he has played, the 26-year-old has scored 584 runs at an average of 83.4. In just the last three innings, that average jumps to 162.33.

"I'm in a bit of nick and just trying to cash in," he said. "You can have a bit of luck and things go your way.

"I'm ready [to play South Africa]. I've been scoring runs so it's the best time to have another crack at that level."

It's one Flynn didn't expect. He had targeted July's tour of the West Indies and was simply intent on scoring a pile of runs in the latter stages of the Plunket Shield to convince the selectors to take him to the Caribbean. He could now tour there as the incumbent.

Flynn looks likely to be asked to open against South Africa, something he has done at test level only once before.

It didn't go very well - he was out for a three-ball duck against Sri Lanka in 2009 - but has batted at No 3 13 times in his 29 test innings and feels confident he can do a job.

"Batting three is a similar sort of role," he said. "You need to be quite compact. It's a role I will certainly enjoy.

"I've been watching the series on TV like everyone else. You have to take your own skill-set into the game and try to find a gameplan that's going to work against them. You need to rely on your instincts and look to play as straight as possible and look to make them bowl to me."

The test will represent Flynn's first since December 2009. His form didn't warrant a place in the side - his last 11 innings materialised only 151 runs at 13.73 - and then he was beset by a long-term hip injury, and finally had surgery in October. The break cut short his domestic season but it allowed him to make small technical changes in his setup and stance.

"Obviously it's disappointing when you are left out of the side but it's an opportunity to work on your game and hopefully develop it to a point when I get another crack I can make the most of it," he said.

"I didn't expect to get called up [for this test]. I've missed most of the season through injury, and the last one for ND was only my fifth first-class game back. I haven't played a lot of cricket so I thought I had a lot more work to do. But I've managed to score a few runs and put my name forward."

Fans increasingly frustrated by New Zealand's failings at the top of the order will hope the trend continues.