Cricket: Twose battles to escape batting slump

By RICHARD BOOCK

Anyone wanting a good example of the capricious nature of cricket should look no further than New Zealand batsman Roger Twose.

The man who was considered one of the world's finest exponents of the one-day game last year has mirrored the struggle of his national team this summer.

He has not so much slipped into a rut when it comes to run-scoring but something approaching the size of the Hutt River.

Just a few months ago the 32-year-old left-hander became the first New Zealander to score 1000 runs in the calendar year. He managed 1068 at an average of 56.21 after striking his maiden ODI century in the sixth one-dayer against South Africa at Cape Town.

But as he prepares for today's third ODI against Pakistan, he can reflect on a disappointing record since arriving home - his eight innings realised just 117 runs at an average of 16.81.

Twose at least made a start in his first three ODIs of the home season - scoring 27, 30 and 23 - but since then he has not managed to pass 20. His most recent three innings have brought a total of only six runs.

Along with a few high-profile team-mates, his slump has coincided with some desperate times for the New Zealand team. They have found their top-order batsmen out of form at the same time as a greenhorn bowling attack was being introduced.

Formerly from Devon, Twose made his ODI debut in the 1995-96 season under Glenn Turner, but became disenchanted with the regime and opted out of the international circuit for a season. He then made himself available in 1997-98 under Steve Rixon.

His return was so impressive that at one stage last year he became one of the few players in the world to average more than 40 in ODIs.

But since returning home from Africa his average has dropped to 39.67.

It is a dramatic decline in such a short space of time, although it still leaves him comfortably ahead of current players such as Nathan Astle, Chris Harris and Stephen Fleming, as well as former luminaries like Martin Crowe, Andrew Jones, Bruce Edgar and Jeremy Coney.

Twose has suggested, although not yet confirmed, that this season may be his last, in which case the Wellington batsmen would dearly like to end his career on a much healthier note at Wellington's WestpacTrust Stadium today, and in the remaining two matches at Christchurch and Dunedin.

A career average of 40 or more would leave him in illustrious company, alongside former greats like Zaheer Abbas, Viv Richards, Gordon Greenidge, Javed Miandad and Greg Chappell.

His immediate concern will be to turn around his wretched form in the match today, particularly as New Zealand's top-order batting has suffered from a glass jaw all season, and badly needs the sort of substance that Twose produced week-in, week-out in Africa.

New Zealand bounced back in Napier on Tuesday to level the series against Pakistan but it was the bowlers who produced the match-winning performance. The top-order batsmen again struggled to slam the lid close.

For today's line-up, Adam Parore seems certain to open the batting again despite his struggles, and the bowling attack is expected to remain unchanged after Tuesday's triumph.

Pakistan are unlikely to risk their tearaway paceman Shoaib Akhtar - who apparently strained a hamstring during his second over at Napier - leaving room for talented allrounder Azhar Mahmood to make his first appearance of the tour.

The only other possible change might see the tourists promote the dashing right-hander Shahid Afridi to open with Saeed Anwar, possibly at the expense of rookie opening batsmen Imran Farhat.

New Zealand: Stephen Fleming (capt), Nathan Astle, Roger Twose, Lou Vincent, Craig McMillan, Chris Harris, Jacob Oram, Adam Parore, Daniel Vettori, Andre Adams, Daryl Tuffey, James Franklin, Chris Martin.

Pakistan: Moin Khan (capt), Inzamam-ul-Haq, Saeed Anwar, Imran Nazir, Salim Elahi, Imran Farhat, Yousuf Youhana, Shahid Afridi, Abdur Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami, Saqlain Mushtaq and Mushtaq Ahmed.