Cricket: Astle's sacking in name of World Cup planning

Match-winner Nathan Astle has been asked to stomach "long-term planning" as the reason for his controversial axing from the New Zealand one-day squad.

The country's most successful one-day batsman was yesterday left stewing in Christchurch after being dropped immediately after his match-winning and unbeaten 90 in Tuesday's third one-dayer against Sri Lanka.

Astle was in a subdued mood after the game considering his long overdue success with the bat, and the reason quickly became apparent yesterday when Bracewell made public his squad for the final two one-dayers.

The New Zealand coach defended his stance on Astle, saying it was imperative that New Zealand develop depth in all positions, create competition within the squad and continue with long-term World Cup planning.

He sidestepped the comparison between the jettisoned Astle and the retained Hamish Marshall, reasoning that the former had been replaced by another top-order batsman in Stephen Fleming, and that the latter was a middle-order player.

Marshall has been the worst-performed batsman in the squad for nearly a year, but Bracewell said neither his run-drought nor Astle's revival justified a change in plan.

"I was quite clear with Nathan last [Tuesday] night, which isn't the easiest thing to do when a guy comes off in that position, to give him that sort of news," he said.

"But we've got to understand that we need to develop depth within our cricket to be competitive. That's pretty difficult to understand if you're the individual affected."

Astle scored his most recent of 15 ODI centuries in the tri-series final against India in September, before his form dived over the winter tour to South Africa and, more latterly, in the Chappell-Hadlee Series.

He was initially dumped from the squad to play Sri Lanka and told to work on his form with Canterbury, but received a reprieve after Fleming rushed home on paternity leave, and featured in the first two games as a supersub.

Bracewell conceded that he and Astle weren't necessarily seeing eye-to-eye on the subject.

"It was tough for him. He accepted it. I'm not quite sure if he really understands it yet. But if you look back at anybody in that situation, they don't necessarily have the understanding, or even the desire to understand."

He thought Nathan showed character and humility in receiving the news.

Astle was well short of his vintage best during the unbeaten 90 at Jade Stadium, showing uncharacteristic restraint and a great deal of doggedness while posting his half-century off 76 deliveries, before hanging tough through two no-ball scares to lead his team home.

Bracewell said he saw hints of the form and intent that he was demanding from Astle last month, but remained determined to stick with his plan so that New Zealand would have options in all positions for the World Cup.

"I don't think he batted with particular fluency but he delivered the character that we were wanting; the sort of character you get from a guy who digs that little bit deeper when they're not in form.

"There was effort. There was a ton of stickability and grit, which is something else that you need within your players. You've got to admire that."

As for Marshall, whose grim season continued on Tuesday night when he was judged lbw to a ball that hit his glove, Bracewell said the right-hander's game showed improvement.

"I think he's starting to come along better than he was in the Australian series," said Bracewell. "He was unfortunate to be given out handled ball, but that's international cricket for you.

"He's saving us 30 runs a game in the field and that's important. It almost balances the ledger. I haven't given him or anyone a guarantee because we're trying to create that competition within the squad. But I thought he batted really well - up until that point when he handled the ball."