Cricket: O'Connor's chance out of left field

By RICHARD BOOCK

TAUPO - Cack-handers, southpaws, call them what you will, but they all might add up to Shayne O'Connor's name being bandied about by the New Zealand cricket selectors today.

The specific problem posed by the preponderance of West Indian left-handers was never more obvious than at Owen Delany Park yesterday, as Shivnarine Chanderpaul's unbeaten century gave the tourists a dream start to their three-day match against New Zealand A.

The West Indies are likely to have five left-handers in the top seven of their test line-up, with only Sherwin Campbell and possibly middle-order batsman Ricardo Powell breaking the trend set by Adrian Griffith, Brian Lara, Chanderpaul, Jimmy Adams and Ridley Jacobs.

The New Zealand selectors meet today to discuss the team to square off against the West Indies in Hamilton on December 16, with the most interesting question surrounding seam bowling.

For a while, it seemed that Andrew Penn and Chris Drum were the main contenders, but their performances against the West Indies yesterday were less than inspiring and it seems now that O'Connor - who crucially moves the ball away from the left-hander - could be back in the frame.

Most recently dropped in October, after India fought back to save the first test at Mohali, the 26-year-old Otago swing-bowler has taken 24 wickets in a roller-coaster nine-test career. He has earned a reputation for struggling with anything but the new ball.

However, the selectors have made no secret of their desire to have someone in the attack who moves the ball away from the left-hander. When they discuss their options for the seam attack they will doubtless balance O'Connor's limitations against his ability to dismiss top-class batsmen.

Both Drum and Penn were on the recent tour of India and looked in solid form during the "test" match against England A at Lincoln. There is a chance that both could be called in after Nash failed to bowl during Chris Cairns' benefit match yesterday, raising doubts over his readiness for the test.

If the selectors had to choose it would seem more likely for Penn to get the nod. The Central Districts seamer can perform as either a new-ball bowler or a third seamer, and, according to the selectors, is more suited to the longer game.

Craig McMillan and New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming - who had a bruised hand - are available for selection after proving their fitness during Cairns' match, leaving the national selectors a fairly straightforward task with the rest of the test line-up.

Discarded opener Matthew Bell has not done enough to tip out Gary Stead as Matt Horne's partner, while Craig Spearman is set to remain at No 3 despite the form of Mathew Sinclair.