A blow to the helmet kept Anderson out of the first match as he was assessed for concussion but, given he faced just five balls in two innings against South Africa, it would have come as relief to get a 48 and a 50 in the Pakistan test series.
Anderson must now eradicate any hint of second-season-syndrome after his world record 36-ball century against the West Indies at Queenstown and lashings of 68 not out and 44 against India last summer.
His left-armers remain a useful option as 10 wickets at 18.10 against India attest. However, his 12 overs for three wickets against South Africa were expensive at six-an-over.
Jimmy Neesham
ODIs this season: - 4
Runs: - 27
Average: - 9
Strike rate: - 66
Wickets: - 4
Average: - 35
Strike rate29
Economy rate: - 7.17
The experiment with Neesham as an opener lasted two matches. The selection thinking has since changed to a point where Brendon McCullum is expected to don the pads first with Martin Guptill. Neesham can concentrate on closing from the middle order.
The benefits of exposure on the international stage come with the difficulty of having your technique analysed frame-by-frame by opponents. Three out of four dismissals in the recent Pakistan test series hinted at a vulnerability against spin but that won't be as much of a factor to contend with at home.
Neesham's bowling can be a wicket-taking asset when his short-of-a-length deliveries generate frustration, but he needs to reduce this summer's economy rate of 7.17 to improve his value.
Nathan McCullum
ODIs this season: - 3
Runs: - 19
Average: - 19
Strike rate: - 61
Wickets: - 1
Average: - 107
Strike rate: - 144
Economy rate: - 4.45
The news Kane Williamson can return to bowl off spin arguably hits McCullum hardest.
The selectors have indicated they're likely to play just one specialist spinner in their XIs during the World Cup. McCullum's fielding has always been an added advantage but, with Daniel Vettori deemed the country's best ODI spinner, he doesn't wants to be tagged as a specialist 12th man.
McCullum's economy rate in 11 matches this year has been tidy at 4.61, but he has taken just five wickets.
His career batting strike rate of 89 has been a useful addition to the lower order, although in seven innings this year he hasn't gone past 20 in lower order cameos. His 13 not out off 15 balls and one for 35 from eight overs in the first Pakistan ODI suggest he's headed in the right direction.
Daniel Vettori
ODIs this season: - 3
Runs: - 28
Average: - 9.33
Strike rate: - 90
Wickets: - 2
Average: - 62
Strike rate: - 90
Economy rate: - 4.13
His return to fitness has been a revelation. He's had a rigorous training regime judging by the ordeal he endured during a session at the ICC Academy in Dubai before the New Zealand 'A' game against the United Arab Emirates. His bowling remains metronomic and if he's hit for multiple boundaries he generally makes up for them with dot balls in subsequent overs.
The opening ODI outing in Dubai demonstrated his guile at the bowling crease. Younis Khan swept into a backward square leg trap and Ahmed Shehzad was deceived by an arm ball. Then came the one-handed catch of Misbah-ul-Haq running back at mid-on and a rearguard 27 off 25. The magic is returning.
Auckland scrape to slim lead
Auckland's batsmen missed the chance to establish control in their Plunket Shield clash against Wellington, leaving the match evenly poised at the halfway mark.
Having dismissed Wellington for 199 on the opening day at the Basin Reserve, Auckland struggled with the bat to barely scrape to a first-innings lead, sitting on 202-8 when rain prematurely ended play.
Mark Gillespie did the majority of the damage after Auckland resumed on 117-2, striking four times with the ball and running out Colin Munro in the field. Munro was the best of the batsmen as the top order failed to kick on from good starts, making 47 before being caught short of his crease.
Gillespie then tore through the visitors' middle order to finish with figures of 4-44, leaving Auckland tomorrow relying on Brad Cachopa (18no) and Michael Bates (0no) in the search for a more significant lead.
Elsewhere, an impressive all-round effort from New Zealand spinner Ish Sodhi saw Northern Districts take complete command of their encounter with Otago.
ND began the second day at University Oval on 188-5 before Mitchell Santner (45) and Trent Seifert (49) put together a handy stand in the middle order. Both were eventually undone by Neil Wagner but Sodhi, who came to the crease at No9, smashed 82 from 84 balls to help his side to 380.
Sodhi then proceeded to excel at his day job, recording a five-wicket bag as the visitors' bowlers ripped through Otago for 189. Only opener Hamish Rutherford (78) managed to score more than 30 as Sodhi led the way with 5-27.
Daniel Flynn (4no) and Brad Wilson (0no) then saw their side through to stumps to leave the Knights ahead by 195 heading into day three.
At Hagley Oval, Doug Bracewell was again in the wickets as Central Districts edged ahead of Canterbury.
Bracewell picked up his sixth scalp in the first innings as Canterbury were dismissed for 269, with his figures of 6-41 setting up the platform for the Stags batsmen.
Will Young (82) and Kieran Noema-Barnett (69) struck half centuries to help CD build on that platform, compiling 305 for a narrow first-innings lead. Bracewell then dismissed Greg Dawson and Ronnie Hira to reduce Canterbury to 70-2.
- Kris Shannon
