Cricket: Secret of Fleming's sixes

Specific practice of long hitting in the nets is said to be behind Stephen Fleming's performance on Saturday. Picture / Fotopress

The days of Stephen Fleming being viewed as a valuable, but one-dimensional international batsman have been put to rest.

The New Zealand captain unveiled an exciting new side to his game in the opening one-dayer against the World XI on Saturday, his staggering display of hitting reaping a century off 54 balls, and propelling his team to an easy nine-wicket win.

The crowd-pleasing pyrotechnics - including nine sixes and 10 fours, was the latest example of Fleming's new-found strike-power, and the most recent success of the specific type of training encouraged by coach John Bracewell.

Arguably the best ODI coach in the world, Bracewell has asked his batsmen to consistently practise their long hitting in the nets, reasoning that such a critical component of the shorter game deserved their full attention.

The upshot is that all the New Zealand players now take turns at refining their six-hitting technique, which often involves clearing their front leg to enable a full arc of the bat, and honing their strike-power on either side of the wicket.

The improvement was noticeable in Melbourne before Christmas when Brendon McCullum and Hamish Marshall launched a match-winning assault, again at Sydney when Kyle Mills cut loose, and most recently at Jade Stadium on Saturday.

Fleming, previously seen as a collector rather than a clubber, showed the full benefits of his hard work, striking his sixes over long-off, long-on, mid-wicket and square-leg, in one of the brightest displays of hitting since Nathan Astle's test double-century.

It was the contribution that saved an embarrassingly short series opener from ending as an unqualified flop, the incandescent shot-making leaving most in the 20,000-strong crowd well satiated, despite the chase lasting only 16.1 overs.

Because the series has not gained official ODI status, the statistics will not be included on Fleming's record, although he said yesterday that if he could nominate one innings to be remembered by, that would be it.

Those comments were echoed by World XI skipper Shane Warne, who said afterwards he had not seen a cleaner display of hitting in his 15 years of international cricket - quite a compliment from a man who plays in the same test side as Adam Gilchrist.

Fleming, whose feet only ever leave the ground when he's driving away from one, will not get carried away with Saturday's developments, but will still carry slightly boosted confidence levels from the knock, not to mention an enhanced reputation.

And poor Muttiah Muralitharan. Fleming smashed 22 off his first over and 19 off his second; the champion Sri Lankan spinner ending the match with the unlikely figures of none for 57 off 3.1 overs.

The only consolation for Murali was that every four was worth $1000 towards the Sri Lankan relief fund, every six $5000 and every run $20, meaning Fleming managed to contribute $57,000 off his own bat.

New Zealand Cricket reports that more than $500,000 was raised from the first match.


The teams

Westpac Stadium, Wellington, 2pm today.

* New Zealand: Stephen Fleming (c), Nathan Astle, Mathew Sinclair, Hamish Marshall, Craig McMillan, Chris Cairns, Brendon McCullum, Kyle Mills, Daniel Vettori, Jeff Wilson, Daryl Tuffey, Scott Styris (12th man).

* World XI: from Shane Warne (c), Andy Bichel, Matthew Elliott, Ian Harvey (Australia), Craig Spearman (NZ), Graeme Hick, Nick Knight (England), Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumar Sangakkara, Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka), Lance Klusener, Jonty Rhodes (South Africa), Heath Streak (Zimbabwe).