Cricket: Frustrating hole in test schedule

Chris Martin

As if the standard of opposition in Zimbabwe was not bad enough, some of New Zealand's key test players now have to endure a seven-month hiatus before they play international cricket again.

The near-unprecedented hole in New Zealand's test-playing schedule, caused by a combination of the ICC's Super Series in Australia and the Government's decision to ban the Zimbabwe team in December, is set to cause major frustrations for test specialists such as Chris Martin, James Franklin, James Marshall and Craig Cumming.

Under the original schedule, the quartet would probably have been picked for both the October tests in South Africa and the home series against Zimbabwe, not to mention the contest against the West Indies next March.

But the problems caused by the Government's ultimatum over Zimbabwe have been exacerbated by the South African board's call to postpone the test series, so that it can free up some of its players to participate in the Australian-based Super Series.

New Zealand will now travel to South Africa in October for a five-match one-day series only, and will return the following April to complete their test obligations.

The resulting seven-month gap has the capacity to cause problems for some of the New Zealand players, as it is longer than most of the old "off-seasons" and could leave them under-prepared for the West Indians.

Particularly unsettling is the fact that it comes at time when New Zealand are trying to solve their shortcomings at the top of the order to develop an established pair of openers for the long term.

Cumming, whose average of 26 after nine test innings (including six against Australia) isn't the worst, was left on the sideline in Zimbabwe despite making a century in one of the lead-up games.

He was probably the worst affected by the raft of players returning from injury in Africa, losing his place to makeshift opener Lou Vincent and also missing out on the one-day squad for the tri-series.

While Vincent went cheaply at Harare before scoring 92 at Bulawayo, Marshall was unable to impress against the weakest bowling attack in the world, scoring 5 and 10 to leave question marks still hovering over his international future.

To make matters worse for Cumming, he is the only player of the four test specialists who is not included in the New Zealand A side to tour Sri Lanka next month, when credentials will again be laid bare before the selectors.

Marshall will receive a further opportunity to seal an opening berth for the West Indian visit (as will recovering right-hander Michael Papps and Central Districts' up-and-comer Jamie How), when New Zealand A play three four-day "tests" against the hosts.

But Cumming will have to rely mainly on domestic first-class form to push his case for retention.

Meanwhile, all eyes will be on New Zealand at Bulawayo on Wednesday when they start the one-day tri-series against Zimbabwe, in what will be their first opportunity to compete under the new substitution and power-play rules.

Apart from questions over the fitness of Jacob Oram and the subsequent status of Chris Cairns, most interest will surround the tactical decisions of Stephen Fleming, and the identity of New Zealand's first-ever full substitute.

ONE-DAY SERIES

August 24: New Zealand v Zimbabwe, 1st ODI, Bulawayo

August 26: New Zealand v India, 2nd ODI, Bulawayo

August 31: New Zealand v Zimbabwe, 4th ODI, Harare

September 2: New Zealand v India, 5th ODI, Harare

September 6: Final , Harare.