Cricket: Horne's bad break adds new twist

By RICHARD BOOCK

HAMILTON - New Zealand's opening batting problems received a fresh twist yesterday when Matt Horne was ruled out of the Boxing Day cricket test against the West Indies with a broken finger.

The right-hander suffered the fracture while attempting to hook a ball from Franklyn Rose during New Zealand's nine wicket win in the first test yesterday.

He will probably be out for three weeks, according to New Zealand Cricket sources.

A decision on his replacement is expected this afternoon, but the selectors have few options now that Matthew Bell has lost form so dramatically.

The selectors will probably be left to choose between rising star Mathew Sinclair, and a stop-gap measure such as Roger Twose.

If Sinclair happens to receive the nod, he seems most likely to be slotted in at No 3 with Craig Spearman moving up to open the innings with Gary Stead, although there could be some thought given to batting him at No 6 and moving everyone else up a position.

The 24-year-old right-hander enjoyed moderate success against Courtney Walsh and Merv Dillon when the West Indies played New Zealand A at Taupo, grafting out 38 in the first innings and being left unbeaten on nine in the second, and seemed to be on the selectors'short-list when they gathered to choose their side for the opening test.

Another name which could be in the back of the selectors' minds is the Auckland captain Blair Pocock.

He has already played 15 tests dating back to 1993-94.

The 28-year-old opening batsman has scored 665 runs at 22.93 and batted for 164 minutes while grinding out 29 runs in Auckland's only innings against the West Indies last week.

Pocock's test career was put on hold by injury and he has struggled to put together sufficient runs to catch the selectors' eye - so far - and he has had a battle to regain full fitness.

Horne's injury will almost certainly rule him out of the remainder of the West Indies tour, including the five one-dayers to follow the second test.