Cricket: Six into four doesn't go for New Zealand

Matt Henry improved his World Cup prospects yesterday. Photo / Photosport

Just as New Zealand's World Cup selection equation looked to be simplifying, a hotline to Stephen Hawking is now required to work out how to fit six pace bowlers into four or possibly five spots.

Kyle Mills' groin injury and Matt Henry's exceptional figures of four for 45 in the four-wicket ODI win in Sharjah yesterday complicated the decision over who will be in the final 15-man squad named on January 7, given Trent Boult and Tim Southee appear certainties.

Mills appears to suffer from a quadrennial jinx. The extent of his setback is not known but it's appalling timing as he contemplates what would likely be a final World Cup.

In an almost 14-year international career, Mills has played just four World Cup matches. His 35-year-old body has constantly suffered minor niggles or required surgery and this looks like a step in a similar direction if he's been ruled out for at least the three UAE matches.

Mills' World Cup experience consists of bowling six overs and conceding 32 runs against Bangladesh in South Africa in 2003 and taking six wickets for 74 runs against Zimbabwe, Pakistan and Canada in 2011 before he strained his left thigh. A knee injury ended his 2007 chances.

It would be cruel if Mills misses out at home. His 237 ODI wickets have come at a mere 26.94 in a career of service which saw him ranked as the world's No 1 ODI bowler in 2009. However, in 2014 his seven wickets have come at 44.14. He looks guaranteed a World Cup spot if fit, but needs to sustain form.

His competitors now get further opportunities in the UAE.

Henry, who turns 23 today, could have been conveniently popped into the player-for-the-future box. However, his unbridled aggression and the difficulty with which Pakistan had playing him in benign batting conditions yesterday must at least pique the selectors' interest.

He got the ball to spit off a docile wicket similar to that seen on the opening day of the third test. His dismissals were all top-order players - Mohammad Hafeez for 76, Ahmed Shehzad for a duck, Asad Shafiq for one and Misbah-ul-Haq for 47.

The latter caught-behind decision was reviewed with Misbah adamant it touched only his forearm. Without Snicko or Hotspot, there was not enough evidence to suggest it missed his gloves. Henry barely appealed; wicketkeeper Ronchi was insistent. It broke the 64-run fifth-wicket partnership.

Henry now has the extraordinary statistics of 10 wickets at an average of 12.30 and strike rate of 16.8 from three ODIs. He produces enough subtle movement at a decent pace to incite confusion.

McClenaghan is another to come in for selection scrutiny, despite an impeccable ODI record. After taking 3-56 from 9.3 overs yesterday, including Younis Khan and Sarfraz Ahmed, his strike rate of 24 remains the second-best in ODI history behind Australia's Ryan Harris for those who have bowled in more than 20 innings.

Milne's return has brought regular deliveries in excess of 150km/h in the first two ODIs against Pakistan, which indicates he'll be a useful point of difference on World Cup surfaces expected to favour batsmen. His hostile deliveries proved their worth in Sharjah with 2-53.