Cricket: Drums beating again for revived paceman

By RICHARD BOOCK in Wellington

It's not so much the Bangladesh batting as the Wellington wind which is looming as the biggest obstacle for Chris Drum.

The Auckland paceman was recalled to the New Zealand team for the second test starting at the Basin Reserve today in a move expressly designed to combat the threat of the ground's notorious prevailing wind.

Twelfth man for the first test at Hamilton, Drum comes into the side at the expense of Chris Martin and has been told to expect his share of donkey-work if the northerly should blow.

"As a pace bowler you always want to bowl downwind, but I'm more than happy to accept the role of bowling into it," Drum said.

"I haven't played a lot of cricket here, but it's generally a good wicket and it's been a happy hunting ground for New Zealand."

It has been a long time between drinks for the 27-year-old right-armer, who made his debut in the second test against Pakistan last summer, but dislocated his shoulder in the field and was sidelined for the rest of the season.

Previously selected as a specialist one-day bowler, he recovered from injury in time to be included in the New Zealand A side's tour of India, and moved even closer to a recall after being rushed to Perth as cover for the third test team.

Drum underlined his form by taking a five-wicket bag in the tour finale against a Prime Minister's X1, then reinforced his case with an outstanding effort for Auckland against Bangladesh, taking career-best figures of six for 34 and his first 10-wicket bag.

"I never thought I wouldn't be able to make it back," he said of his injury. "It was one of those things which could happen to any player in any sport.

"It's just a matter of getting it right and getting on with it. The shoulder's not causing me any problems now - it was just a setback, really."

Having discovered some of the best form of his career this summer, Drum is anxious to make a far bigger impression than he did at Christchurch last season against Pakistan, when he bowled only eight overs for one wicket before the accident occurred in the field.

"You fluctuate with your form, you have highs and lows," he said. "It's just got to a stage where everything's going really well for me at the moment; maybe it's a continuation of my growth within the game.

"This is another stepping-stone as far as I'm concerned. I'm feeling pretty fresh, I've got good rhythm at the moment, the ball's coming out well and it's swinging - so I just want it to continue."

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming said the nature of the wicket and likelihood of wind meant Drum could possibly offer the team more than Martin in this match.

"It's not as if Chris did anything wrong, but Hamilton was a bouncier wicket and favoured a different style of bowling," Fleming said.

"I think it's important to acknowledge that different venues provide different conditions and therefore suit different players.

"We need an into-the-wind bowler, someone who can swing the ball on a pitch which might not provide as much assistance as Hamilton."