Cricket: Selection cull limited to single scalp

Those imagining the national selectors emerging from their third test deliberations wiping bloodied hands on their butcher's aprons were off the mark yesterday.

Instead, they have made just one change to their squad for the deciding third test against Pakistan in Napier this week, but that alteration has brought a decent ripple effect through what has become a dysfunctional batting order.

Uncapped Northern Districts player BJ Watling is the one alteration, in for Peter Fulton, and will open with Tim McIntosh, providing a left-right combination at the top.

Martin Guptill drops down to No 3, with Daniel Flynn and Grant Elliott possibly in a contest for one middle order spot.

But that depends on whether the selectors, Mark Greatbatch, Glenn Turner and captain Dan Vettori, opt to stick with a six batsmen-four bowler combination or bring in an extra bowler, bumping either Vettori or wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum up to No 6.

Greatbatch confirmed last night the panel still lean towards the conventional 6-4 makeup, which means some hard thinking lies ahead over whether to play two spinners and trim what has been a well-performed seam trio to two out of Chris Martin, Daryl Tuffey, Iain O'Brien and Tim Southee.

But it's the batting which exercised the minds of the selectors after back-to-back listless performances in the first two tests against Pakistan. The bowlers have done a fine job, and been let down.

Five of the top six - the exception being hard-hitting Ross Taylor - came under hard scrutiny. Had any of them been dropped they could have had few complaints.

Greatbatch said a variety of candidates had been discussed, including Craig Cumming and Peter Ingram as opening candidates and Neil Broom as a middle order option. In the end it was felt less could be more.

"If we've made, say, three changes, bringing guys in out of first-class cricket against a pretty useful seam attack, it would be a huge ask," he said last night.

"The quality they would have to compete against, and the intensity, we just think it's too much to ask of half of your top six."

Greatbatch said if too many batsmen had been dumped "there's real chance you're going to lose all the confidence in the team".

Lefthander McIntosh, particularly vulnerable and looking leaden-footed and low on confidence, gets to fight another battle on the ground he hit his only test hundred last summer against the West Indies.

Greatbatch described McIntosh, who has made 37 runs at 9.25 in the series, as "quite a resilient character".

His new opening partner Watling has been on the selectors' radar for a while and got a trip to the United Arab Emirates last month, where he played two Twenty20 internationals.

"I had a fair idea I was in the mix but I think you're always shocked and excited when you get the call," Watling said yesterday.

The 24-year-old, born in Durban but living in New Zealand since he was about 10, has averaged 30.35 in first-class cricket since making his debut with ND in 2004-05. He is going at 80.66 this season.

"We think he's the future. He's a fighter, he's got character, a solid technique and we hope he'll add value with the left-right combination," Greatbatch said.

Watling is eager to get out to the middle in Napier, relishing the prospect. He hasn't seen much of the Pakistan attack, other than highlights packages, as he's been playing for ND at the same time as the tests.

"I've just got to come up with my game plan and leave it out on the field. Don't leave anything to chance," he said.

Watling admitted he gets pre-game jitters - "I'm a little bit nervous now four days out, but I've just got to deal with that and do the job.

"I've learned to deal with them in my first-class career and I don't think it'll be any different, just a bigger stage."

Black Caps squad
Daniel Vettori (captain), Tim McIntosh, Martin Guptill, Daniel Flynn, Ross Taylor, BJ Watling, Grant Elliott, Brendon McCullum, Daryl Tuffey, Iain O'Brien, Tim Southee, Jeetan Patel, Chris Martin.