Cricket: Nash facing one-day chop

By Richard Boock

NAPIER - Unless the New Zealand cricket coach is planning a guest appearance on Ripley's Believe it or Not, the rumour that Dion Nash is about to change from test captain to drinks waiter will prove a load of old tosh.

Among the various theories flying around the Kiwis' practice session yesterday was the hare-brained suggestion that Nash might be omitted from the eleven for tonight's fourth Bank of New Zealand one-day international against South Africa.

New Zealand's stand-in captain since Stephen Fleming injured his groin on January 9, Nash led the side to a meritorious 2-2 tie with India earlier in the season, and to a 2-1 lead against South Africa before the tests, earning praise for his captaincy - in the limited overs environment at least.

But with Fleming now returning from injury, and with the selectors apparently keen to play debutante Carl Bulfin, Nash's name has somehow become confused with those considered expendable.

New Zealand seem likely to either omit Bryan Young from the twelve, leaving the line-up stacked full of bowlers and with Chris Harris batting at No.5, or to drop a bowler - which is where Nash could become involved.

Like many of his team-mates, the caretaker skipper struggled to make an impact during the test series against South Africa (taking two for 219 off 75 overs and aggregating 44 runs from four innings), but he is a genuine game-breaker in the one-dayers and an ideal man in a crisis.

Coach Steve Rixon would not be drawn on the issue yesterday, but did concede that dropping a batsman and playing all the bowlers was a "viable" option.

Fleming, meanwhile, was more satisfied with his groin than with his batting form after completing an unconvincing session in the nets yesterday.

The 25-year-old left-hander has not played a game since his injury and is steeling himself for a war of attrition at McLean Park tonight.

"I haven't a clue, I haven't middled one yet," was Fleming's response to a question about his batting form. "It's gonna be a grind tomorrow, it'll take some time, but I'm very happy with my movements and it's good to be back."

South African captain Hansie Cronje said his acclaimed fast-bowler Allan Donald would not play tonight unless he was 100 per cent fit, and was wary about a backlash from New Zealand after the disappointments in the tests.

"They're far better equipped for the one-dayers than for test cricket. Guys like Harris and Astle are dangerous batsmen, and Harris and Larsen are very effective one-day bowlers," Cronje said.

It was raining in Napier yesterday and if it should keep falling today, the match is scheduled for tomorrow.

New Zealand: Stephen Fleming (captain), Matt Horne, Nathan Astle, Roger Twose, Bryan Young, Chris Harris, Adam Parore, Dion Nash, Daniel Vettori, Gavin Larsen, Carl Bulfin, Geoff Allott.

South Africa (from): Hansie Cronje (captain), Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Daryll Cullinan, Jonty Rhodes, Shaun Pollock, Dale Benkenstein, Lance Klusener, Mark Boucher, Nicky Boje, Paul Adams, Steve Elworthy.