Cricket: Sister keeps score on Wiseman

Paul Wiseman

Anyone wanting to know how Paul Wiseman might perform in today's deciding one-dayer between New Zealand and the World XI should immediately get in touch with his sister Kate.

The Canterbury off-spinner was struggling to keep pace with developments yesterday after taking a nine-wicket haul against Central Districts on Monday, and then being rushed into the New Zealand one-day side following a worrying injury to Daniel Vettori.

Wiseman's nine for 13 was the second-best bowling analysis in the 141-year history of New Zealand first-class cricket, and underpinned his recall for today's series decider at Hamilton's Westpac Park.

However, while many supporters were starting to agree about the steady improvement in Wiseman's game, it was his sister Kate who went as far as predicting he would take a bag of nine against the Central Stags.

Wiseman, who was speaking to his sister on Sunday, said she made the Nostradamus-like prediction that he would enjoy great success the next day, and even stated the correct number of dismissals.

"I caught up with Kate the night before and she actually told me that I'd get nine the next day, which was pretty cool," he said.

"She follows her cricket very closely."

Wiseman has been in and out of the ODI side. He made his debut in 1997-98 and has played just 15 games, for a return of 12 wickets at 30.66, and an economy rate of 4.90.

His last one-dayer was against Pakistan in Sri Lanka in 2003, although he was recalled to the test team last year and eventually acquitted himself well in the ill-fated second test in Adelaide.

It was in that match that Wiseman demonstrated his worth against the world's best batting line-up, recovering from some hefty early punishment to scrap his way back into the contest and send back Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn and Darren Lehmann.

He said yesterday that the confidence he gained from that contest played a major role in his frame of mind when he returned to New Zealand before Christmas.

"I felt like I competed well in Adelaide and carried some reasonable form back to New Zealand," he said.

"As a spin-bowler over here, you don't usually get many long spells, and I'm really someone who needs the work-load to get the necessary rhythm.

"For instance, although I bowled about 19 overs in the first innings against CD, it wasn't until the last six that I felt it all returning, and that just carried on in the second innings."

A player who has struggled to retain his place in the side, Wiseman has usually played second fiddle to the left-arm spin of Vettori.

However, he said things had changed so much for him that he now felt he belonged in the present national squad.

"I feel a part of this team more and more these days," he said. "It's always a revolving door situation with me, given Daniel's prominence, and after a while you get used to that.

"But I certainly wasn't expecting a call-up for the one-dayer - that's just an added little bonus."

Paul Wiseman

* 15 ODIs for New Zealand

* 12 wickets at 30.66

* 4/45 best bowling v Zimbabwe 2000/01