Cricket: Fleming poised to make one-day return

By Richard Boock

WELLINGTON - The besieged New Zealand cricketers received a piece of good news at a fairly bleak time last night when captain and top-order batsman Stephen Fleming was given a clean bill of health.

Fleming has not played since rupturing his groin against India on January 9, but now seems almost certain to be named in the one-day side to play South Africa at Napier in the fourth one-day international on Thursday.

Convener of selectors Ross Dykes said last night that Fleming - who has missed seven ODIs and three tests during a lengthy recuperation - had been cleared by New Zealand Cricket's medical panel for the three remaining ODIs against the tourists, who are on the verge of a test series win here in Wellington.

His return will place the heat on the batting places for the one-day side, despite the unavailability of Chris Cairns, Craig McMillan and Matthew Bell.

If Fleming had remained on the injured list, the selectors would have almost certainly made only one change to the 12 named for the third Bank of New Zealand test at the Basin Reserve.

Test rookie Gary Stead seemed set to retain his place as a direct replacement for McMillan, while one-day specialist Gavin Larsen was poised to be called up at the expense of Shayne O'Connor - who is considered a shade risky in the shorter game.

Faced with re-jigging virtually the entire Kiwi top-order batting this season, the selectors were unlikely to make any more changes than they had to, meaning the day-nighter at Napier would also double as Stead's ODI debut.

The Canterbury captain might have done enough in the past two tests to be the leading contender for McMillan's berth, but has an excellent 1999 Shell Cup campaign bolstering his claims as well.

He led the Cup aggregates with 468 runs at 52.00 (strike-rate 69.00), including four 50s and a top-score of 84, which formed the conerstone of Canterbury's championship run.

However, with Fleming virtually certain to be first named when the team is announced today, the selectors have to decide which of the test batsmen out of Bryan Young, Roger Twose and Stead to omit.

New Zealand, who lead the six-match series 2-1, play the fifth one-dayer at Eden Park on Saturday night, with the final match scheduled for Wellington tomorrow week.

New Zealand (likely): Stephen Fleming (captain) Matt Horne, Nathan Astle, Roger Twose, Gary Stead, Chris Harris, Adam Parore, Dion Nash, Daniel Vettori, Gavin Larsen, Simon Doull, Geoff Allott.