KEY POINTS:
The likelihood that Stephen Fleming will end his international career in New Zealand next month and not in England in June is no surprise to national coach John Bracewell.
He was unaware of a newspaper report yesterday suggesting Fleming will retire after the third test against England in Napier from March 22-26 and now not carry on to the following tour to England.
"My understanding was that Stephen wanted to go on and play the England series in England," Bracewell said last night.
"But it doesn't surprise me and doesn't particularly concern me."
Fleming's relationship with the national selectors, Sir Richard Hadlee, Glenn Turner, Dion Nash and Bracewell, has been strained since they removed the captaincy from New Zealand's most-capped skipper last year. If he does not go to England it will exacerbate the shortage of experience in the test batting lineup.
Consider that in the last year, Nathan Astle, Lou Vincent and Scott Styris have already gone from the test top six for a variety of reasons.
That leaves a huge chunk of runs and experience to find. Filling the void won't happen overnight.
Fleming will take with him the records for most test runs, most test caps, most tests as captain and - if he has a good home series against England - a test average in excess of 40. He also happens to still be New Zealand's best batsman.
"It's always disappointing to lose experience, but it's also an exciting time for selectors to pick and see the development of youngsters," Bracewell added, using the glass-half-full principle. "You've always got to pick 11, no matter who is there and I think the young men we've selected in this particular round so far have shown some great attributes for the international game.
"We're not deliberately closing the door and you don't get in a tangle about it. There are kids out there who want a crack."
So while hard times may lie ahead in the immediate future, Bracewell is relishing the challenge in the longer term. "It's happened at any stage throughout our history. It's happening now, it's nothing new."
Fleming's record in England is fractionally inferior to his overall test average of 39.73. In 10 tests there, the 34-year-old lefthander averages 37.88, including one of his nine hundreds, 117 at Trent Bridge four years ago.
Bracewell also pointed out that those players who have signed for the Indian Cricket Board organised Indian Premier League will benefit financially the more time they are able to spend playing that Twenty20 competition.
After six tests against England, New Zealand will play three against Australia, most likely at Brisbane, Hobart and Perth, in November. As things stand, with Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Mitchell Johnson and co pawing the ground, that prospect looks a barrel of laughs.
New Zealand selectors have traditionally eschewed a policy of selecting young players. Give them a few years, see what they're made of, has long been the view. That might loosen up. When the State Championship resumes on March 6, the focus on who is making runs will be sharpened.
Who are the certainties - fitness and health permitting - to be in the top six for the opening test at Lord's starting May 15? Hmm, Jacob Oram. Otherwise question marks abound.
Some of those questions will no doubt be resolved by events in the three home tests against England, starting in Hamilton on March 5.
If Matthew Hoggard, Ryan Sidebottom and co have enjoyed themselves when that rubber ends, things will be in a pickle.
The opening options include Matthew Bell, Craig Cumming - the pair used against Bangladesh recently - Jamie How and Michael Papps; the middle-order candidates, in no special order, appear to be How, Peter Fulton, Mathew Sinclair, Ross Taylor.
Only Oram (39.42) and Sinclair (35.44) of those players boast a test average in excess of 27. Jesse Ryder could force an argument. Uncapped in tests, his first-class average is a solid 42.78 over 39 games.
And another lefthander, Daniel Flynn, who debuted in the second Twenty20 game last week, has caught the selectors' eyes, averaging 52.2 in first-class cricket this season, 61.0 in the one-day State Shield.
The West Indies and India tour next season. By then, a longer term test lineup should be taking shape. Until then, certainly post-Fleming, strap in for a bumpy ride.
