Cricket: Central to his side's hopes

Central Districts paceman Lance Hamilton, over the next three days against India, wants to repeat the sort of performance he produced against the Australians in Napier two years ago.

In his first outing against a touring international side, the Hawkes Bay left-armer twice dismissed Australian skipper Steve Waugh on his way to snaffling seven wickets. It was a performance which helped earn Hamilton, who now has 123 wickets in 29 first-class games at a healthy average of 21.5, a trip to England with the New Zealand A team.

Now he is looking forward to facing a star-studded Indian side at McLean Park today as he continues his attempts to attract the attention of the national selectors.

"McLean Park is a pretty lucky ground for me," he said. "Getting seven in that game and Steve Waugh twice is a good memory, and it would be nice to have similar success in this match."

Hamilton, 29, fondly recalls facing a virtual Australian test side as a valuable lesson in having to lift his game to another level. It paid dividends, with 14 wickets at 20.5 in three matches on the New Zealand A tour.

"But playing against this Indian side is even more daunting," he said, referring to the tourists' batting line-up.

Central's pace battery of Hamilton, Mike Mason, Brent Hefford and Andrew Schwass has the unenviable job of trying to blast through the tourists.

"It's going to be a good opportunity to get out there and test ourselves against world-class players," said Hamilton, who was 12th man for Central when they beat India by seven wickets four years ago.



Hamilton is among several Central players harbouring ambitions of higher honours.

Central coach Mark Greatbatch said the game would be an opportunity for his players to test themselves in elite company.

"They're up against the best and it will be a test to see whether they handle the pressure."

The return to McLean Park for the first time this season of former Central captain Craig Spearman will be another feature.

The former test batsman, now a resident player for English county side Gloucestershire, had a double of 85 and 86 in leading Central to the 1998 victory over India.

- NZPA