Cricket: Stewart in line for NZ recall

Shanan Stewart. Photo / Christchurch Star

Canterbury batsman Shanan Stewart is expected to regain a place in the Black Caps when the squad is named for the one-day series in Bangladesh next month.

However, his opportunities for game time might rely on rest, rotation or injury when the core of the side which visited Sri Lanka is retained.

Stewart struggled in his first two one-day internationals, making scores of four and six against Australia at the end of last summer. He failed to secure one of the 20 New Zealand Cricket centralised contracts last month, but was in good touch at the Emerging Players tournament across the Tasman.

It's understood the 28-year-old faced stiff competition to earn a reprieve ahead of Dean Brownlie, the recent Canterbury recruit from Western Australia, and former Black Cap Jamie How.

All three showed good form with the bat at the recent tournament in Brisbane, although the New Zealand side failed to make the one-day or T20 finals against their Indian, Australian and South African counterparts. The Kiwis ended up playing for third in both tournaments.

Should Stewart return, it will come on the back of increased faith from the selectors that he has matured at domestic level after last summer's heavy run scoring, including a career-best 227 not out in the Plunket Shield.

In Brisbane he couldn't manage a 50 batting at No4 in either format, but had a strike rate of 172 in the three T20s.

Brownlie (26) continues to push hard for a Black Caps spot and could be a surprise recruit for February's World Cup. The former Western Australia age-group rep made his first-class debut for Canterbury last season, and was the star batsman of the emerging players tour.

At first drop he produced an unbeaten 116 and an 82 in the one-dayers and two 50s in the T20 contests, all at a decent clip.

How, who is captaining Central Districts in the Champion's League in South Africa, remains in the selection frame despite his form slump with the Black Caps at the start of 2009. As skipper, the 29-year-old scored a 50 in each format which led to victories in Brisbane.