Cricket: Black Caps favoured to extend record

By RICHARD BOOCK

New Zealand's bowling attack, roundly jeered after taking a towelling in the test series, has been singled out as a potential match-winning ingredient in tonight's tri-series final against the West Indies.

Beaten 3-0 in the test series last month, New Zealand have an opportunity to end their tour on a high note at Lord's, where they will attempt to extend their record winning stretch to nine consecutive one-day internationals.

Not only that, they will also surge into second place on the world ODI rankings if they win, a scarcely believable achievement after decades of embarrassment and ignominy at the hands of international cricket's more fashionable sides.

New Zealand's one-day fortunes have been steadily rising since the 2001 ICC Trophy triumph in Nairobi, at that stage the first major international win for a New Zealand side in 71 years of trying.

They later knocked Australia out of their own VB Series and, despite missing out on a semifinals placing at last year's World Cup, won the Bank Alfalah Cup tri-series in Sri Lanka, and managed to qualify for tonight's final at the expense of England.

The only blemishes along the way have been the TVS Cup disappointment in India last year and the subsequent 5-0 whitewash of a depleted touring side in Pakistan.

Test specialist Mark Richardson said yesterday that he expected his ODI team-mates to continue their steady improvement in the shorter game, and to add the tri-series trophy to their recent list of achievements.

Richardson, who starred with the bat despite New Zealand's whitewash in the test series, was adamant that the West Indies could cause some concern with the bat, but doubted they could adequately restrict their opponents with the ball.

"It's an interesting one," he said. "It takes only one or two guys to stand up and win an ODI, and the West Indies definitely have players who can do that, in Brian Lara, Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan.

"Chanderpaul, in particular, hasn't done much lately and seems due for runs.

"But I just can't see our guys losing it from here, to be honest. Even if the West Indies' batsmen continue their form, I don't think their bowlers will be able to defend a total. Their attack is average, whereas ours is experienced and dependable, and will make runs harder to come by.

"I think that will be the difference between the teams."

The West Indies eliminated England from the the final this week in a rare high-scoring exchange at Lord's, where Gayle and Sarwan demonstrated their undoubted talents, and a total of 285 was eclipsed with seven wickets and five balls to spare.

Although the weather in England has been unstable, Richardson thought the Lord's ground would provide another decent cricketing wicket, although he had little doubt that New Zealand would bowl first if given the opportunity.

New Zealand have won the toss in all three games so far, a slice of fortune that many commentators believe handed them an unhealthy advantage - given that every game has been won by the side bowling first.

"I think Lord's is a very fair wicket," Richardson said. "I wouldn't put it up there as one of all-time belters because there's always enough in it to keep a bowler interested, which is good for everyone.

"Even in the high-scoring game the other night, I thought the pitch offered something throughout, so that should make for some good all-round cricket."

Richardson, who will marry fiance Mary Dyer next month, said he still had a great deal of respect for the West Indian batsmen, but was unusually confident that NZ's all-round strength would prevail.

"Don't get me wrong, the West Indies are definitely on the improve. It's just that I think they'll have to score well in excess of 260-270 to keep us out."