nzherald.co.nz has live scoring of the fourth ODI from 2pm today.
The top and tail of the New Zealand test team will be the focal points for the national selectors when they get out the whiteboard in Hamilton today.
Put it another way: the middle order and spin situations are straightforward. But at either end Glenn Turner, John Wright and Dion Nash have some thinking before naming their first test squad to face India, starting in Hamilton next Wednesday.
The lack of first-class cricket in the past few weeks means they may be forced to pick some players on trust, and past performances. They are relying on evidence from one-day matches - domestic and international. The season schedule has done them no favours.
Start at the top. Auckland lefthander Tim McIntosh, largely unsighted since the second West Indies test before Christmas, will open, even though he's had just two first-class games since his century at Napier in that match.
Jamie How battled against the West Indies, hit a half century in his most recent test innings in Napier and made 190 - good in patches, streaky in others - against England A in Queenstown last week. But his double of 4 and 8 against the same opponents at Lincoln over the past few days will have hurt his chances, coupled with his tendency to get nicked out early against the swinging ball.
Martin Guptill's first-class numbers are inferior to his one-day figures. But he has made a top job of his entry to the ODI team, is in good form and deserves his chance to prove himself in test cricket.
Daniel Flynn should be in at No 3. He's the encumbent, made a decent fist of the role earlier in the season. He made 33 and 45 in 201 minutes at the crease against England A this week in Lincoln, his only first-class game since December 19.
The middle-lower order pick themselves, which leaves the fast-medium alternatives. There's a good case for James Franklin, whose batting has been impressive and his left arm swing bowling, ordinary for much of his comeback summer so far, should still provide a useful variation.
Iain O'Brien, on the point of signing a contract with Leicestershire in the New Zealand winter, will be in. The captain is his strongest advocate and his record in the last year is top class.
Barring a bolter, that leaves Chris Martin, Kyle Mills and Tim Southee for two spots.
Southee swings the ball, and gets top order wickets. But he got a mauling in Christchurch last Sunday, and his confidence will have taken a dent.
Martin, when on song the best of the lot, was unwanted against the West Indies, to captain Dan Vettori's annoyance. Since then, he has plugged away tidily without being a standout performer. Another four-day game might be thought to be in order.
Mills, outstanding in the Chappell Hadlee series, has been well off his best since picking up an Achilles strain in the final game of that series on February 13. India have had the wood on him in the ODIs so far but he will have another week's preparation.
Jeetan Patel would be a second spin option if that is not deemed a luxury against India.
The timing of the next first-class round, starting on Friday, plus two one-dayers against England A over the weekend, doesn't help the selectors, but they are likely to back those who have been there or thereabouts.
The squad is due to be named tomorrow.
