Cricket: Excellent show assures Nash of Lord's ticket

Allrounder Dion Nash will be kept in cotton wool for the second cricket test against England at Lord's after excelling with bat and ball in the tourists' match with Hampshire in Southampton.

Nash, the stand-in skipper for Stephen Fleming, scored an unbeaten 135 - his maiden century for New Zealand - in the first innings and then struck with the ball as the county side got off to a poor start in pursuit of New Zealand's 370 for nine declared.

At the end of the second day Hampshire were 238 for five, thanks to a 165 run fifth wicket partnership between Giles White (108no) and John Stephenson (54).

Such was Nash's influence on the opening two days of the match coach Steve Rixon says the Auckland allrounder will be rested before the second test at Lord's, starting on July 22.

"Dion's not one of our problems and he won't play at the next four-day game [against Kent at Canterbury starting Thursday]."

However, the performance of other players continues to frustrate Rixon who says top order batting spots are still up for grabs for the second test.

"A few of them have let us down for a number of knocks, they still have figures in the debit column from this tour," Rixon said in reference to struggling Canterbury pair Nathan Astle and Craig McMillan.

Rixon said opener Matthew Bell and allrounder Chris Harris had to take their chances in the second innings after failing to produce a big score despite solid starts in their first turn at bat.

New Zealand were 56 for five at one point before Nash staged his rescue act with support from Harris (38) and Simon Doull (49).

Rixon said the performance of the pace attack - other than Nash - was another disappointment.

"Doully and Shayne [O'Connor] didn't strike a match all day. Their job is to swing it around and take top order wickets but it's not happening. Doull is under pressure for the second test and if Shayne wants to be one of the seamers he's going to have to perform."

Unsurprisingly, Rixon considered Nash's bowling efforts to be "streets ahead of the rest." Nash took three for 29 from 15 overs.

With the new ball available soon after the start of the third day tonight (NZ time) Rixon was hoping New Zealand could wrap up the Hampshire innings early and then establish a lead of about 300. - NZPA