Cricket: Guptill - a man for all seasons

Martin Guptill was named man-of-the-match for the Bangladesh test. Photo / Getty Images

Martin Guptill felt uneasy. Normally he knows exactly what to do as he waits, with pads and helmet on, for one of the openers to be dismissed.

Last week, though, he fidgeted about in his seat, walked around nervously, did a few stretches, shared a joke. This was the life of a No 5 batsman.

"It played with my nerves a bit," Guptill says of waiting to bat in last week's test with Bangladesh.

"I didn't really know what to do with myself. It was an interesting time but I was happy with the way I handled it."

He ought to be. A knock of 189 in the first dig followed by an admittedly streaky 56 not out as New Zealand searched for quick runs in the second innings was a good return in the 121-run victory. Good enough, in fact, for the 23-year-old to be named man-of-the-match.

Guptill is establishing himself as an integral member of all three New Zealand teams - tests, one-dayers and Twenty20 - in just his second season of international cricket.

Captain Daniel Vettori has already signalled that he hopes the Aucklander becomes the new Nathan Astle - someone who is comfortable opening in ODIs and is an aggressive middle-order batsman in tests.

If, like Astle, he can post the fastest double ton in world cricket as well as notch up 11 test centuries and 16 tons in one-day internationals, he will have become a decent international cricketer and someone worth paying to watch.

"We are hoping he can thrive in the No 5 position because he is such a good strokemaker," Vettori said last week. "If he can, he and Ross Taylor [at No 4] can be a pretty devastating combination in the middle order."

Guptill, though, still has some way to go to fulfil the raw talent he has. His average jumped dramatically after the Bangladesh test - his ninth since his debut against India last summer - improving from just 23.50 to a much more respectable 38.27.

He has topped 50 three times in his past seven innings but his game will get its sternest test in the upcoming two-test series against Australia.

An attack of Shafiul Islam, Rubel Hossain and Shahadat Hossain don't quite compare to Mitchell Johnson, Doug Bollinger and Ben Hilfenhaus.

"There's a massive adjustment [needed against Australia]," Guptill admits. "They have guys who consistently bowl around that 145km/h mark. They get a lot more bounce and are a lot more consistency than the sub-continent teams.

"But I come into the series with some good form. [Runs in the last test] gives some more confidence and I hope I can keep doing it through the Australian series.

"I was really happy to get my first test hundred and hopefully there are a lot more to come. I have been in pretty reasonable form over the last year and to not do it against India, Sri Lanka or Pakistan was disappointing.

"To finally get it against Bangladesh was a relief. It doesn't matter who it is against - a hundred is a hundred."

One person who knows all about scoring runs is Martin Crowe. New Zealand's greatest batsman is now working Guptill's corner and invited the batsman to his home before the Bangladesh series to outline how he was going to improve Guptill's test game.

That has largely centred on keeping his weight going forward as he hits the ball rather than the "neutral" position that often got him into trouble.

"So far it's working," Guptill declares.

His game seems more naturally suited to No 5, where he can play more freely against an older ball. In his short international career to date, he has been guilty of throwing his wicket away after making a start.

He will quickly need to get back into one-day mode, however, with two Twenty20 internationals and five one-dayers on the menu before the two tests which round out the Australian series.

He isn't allowed to play for Auckland in today's one-day final against Northern Districts and can't even turn out for his club side Suburbs in their one-day final against Parnell.

Vettori has demanded a vast improvement from the sometimes scratchy win over Bangladesh but Guptill thinks they have the side capable of toppling Australia.

"I believe we have the skill and depth in our current squad to foot it with them," he says. "Australia are always a big test and we are going to have to be on top of our game."

New Zealand will need Guptill to remain on top of his, regardless of where he bats in the order.

Martin Guptill:

* Age: 23
* Tests: 574 runs @ 38.27 (1 x 100, 2 x 50)
* ODIs: 863 runs @ 41.10 (1 x 100, 7 x 50)
* Guptill scored 122 not out on his ODI debut against the West Indies last summer, the highest individual score by a New Zealand debutant.
* What make his achievements more remarkable is the fact he has only two toes on one foot after a forklift accident when he was 13. He goes by the nickname Guppy but some call him Marty Two Toes.

New Zealand squads:

* Twenty20: Daniel Vettori (c), Shane Bond, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Gareth Hopkins, Peter Ingram, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Jacob Oram, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Daryl Tuffey.

* One-day squad: Daniel Vettori (c), Shane Bond, Neil Broom, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Peter Ingram, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Jacob Oram, Tim Southee, Scott Styris, Ross Taylor, Daryl Tuffey.

Australian Tour:

* February 26: First Twenty20, Hamilton.
* February 28: Second Twenty20, Christchurch.
* March 3: First ODI, Napier.
* March 6: Second ODI, Auckland.
* March 9: Third ODI, Hamilton.
* March 11: Fourth ODI, Auckland.
* March 13: Fifth ODI, Wellington.
* March 19-23: First test, Wellington.
* March 27-31: Second test, Hamilton.