Cricket: Franklin on target for test milestone

Few would bet against the chance of James Franklin securing his 50th test wicket when the second test against Zimbabwe starts in Bulawayo on Monday.

Just four wickets away from the milestone, Franklin cut through the Zimbabwe batting line-up so quickly in the opening test that he could reach the mark in one more innings, if not one session.

He already has a hat-trick against Bangladesh, and took three wickets in four balls at Harare, ending with match figures of five for 30 after causing the initial chaos at the top of the home team's batting.

While the ball swung, Franklin had the Zimbabwe batsmen looking clueless, just as he tormented the Bangladeshi batsmen at Dhaka last year, when he took five for 28 to set up a comfortable win for his side.

The 24-year-old left-armer not only provides the variation in the New Zealand pace attack, he also adds a wicket-taking threat when on form, as he demonstrated while taking a six-wicket bag against Australia last summer at Auckland.

Yet when his rhythm has been lacking, Franklin has often become cannon fodder for opposition batsmen, most notably in the second test last year at Adelaide, when he was mauled in the first over by Justin Langer.

The mixed fortunes have prompted the Wellington swing-bowler to examine his technique during the New Zealand off-season, and make some subtle adjustments to his approach and run-up.

"I've done a bit of work," Franklin told NZPA.

"Last season I was getting tired, so now I'm coming in straighter and getting closer to the stumps when I bowl. I've also got more pace on the ball.

"For me it's about being steady, I've just got to put in the performances on the field."

Franklin said he knew what he was capable of when he got everything right, and how important he could be to the balance of a New Zealand attack, saying: "It's the variation that the left-armer offers, the fact that I come from a different angle, that's my main weapon."

He was mindful of the need for New Zealand to push their first test success into the background, so that there would be no complacency at Bulawayo on Monday.

"That's the mark of whether you're a professional team or not," he said. "We've got that last game out of our system, and we're working hard towards the next one."

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe selectors, in a show of perplexing logic, have served notice to their bowling attack after the first test rout, but seem likely to retain the same batting line-up that was humiliated for 59 and 99.

Convener of selectors Macsood Ebrahim told the Zimbabwe Herald that the bowlers were in danger of being replaced, but that his panel had little option but to stick with the same batsmen.