Cricket: Selectors stick with their super 12

By Richard Boock

CHRISTCHURCH - The New Zealand cricket selectors have resisted calling in another player to replace Chris Cairns for the second one-day international against South Africa.

Instead, the panel have retained both Matthew Bell and Roger Twose in the squad for tomorrow's Bank of New Zealand day-night ODI at Lancaster Park.

Twose has recovered from the back strain which forced him out of the first game in Dunedin on Sunday night, and Bell has earned another chance against the tourists after showing some timely form as his replacement.

Cairns, who tore the calf muscle in his right leg while batting at Carisbrook, will be out of action for at least the next two one-dayers, and possibly the first test.

He described pressing his right foot down as he set off for a run, then feeling the pain. "It was like somebody throwing a ball into the back of your leg. It catches you unawares and it's something I've never experienced before," he said.

The idea of being an armchair observer against the South Africans after the winning start does not sit easily with the in-form allrounder.

"It's great to be part of this outfit. That's the most disappointing thing, having beaten South Africa, and perhaps earned a little respect from them it would have been nice to be involved."

The gap Cairns leaves in the New Zealand team is reasonably difficult to fill as he bats at No 5 and is a front-line bowler with the responsibility of getting through a full 10-over spell.

However, the selectors believe they have enough bowling options remaining in Simon Doull, Geoff Allott, Dion Nash, Gavin Larsen, Daniel Vettori and Chris Harris (not to mention the part-timers), as well as plenty of variations.

Convener Ross Dykes said Twose would return to his top-order batting position and Bell would lend more batting depth to counter Cairns' absence in the middle-order.

"Again, we were looking for the minimum of disruption to the team," he said yesterday. "We have enough options in the attack, and Matthew showed at Carisbrook he has something to offer us in terms of his batting.

"It's a horses-for-courses thing as well, really. We think this line-up will be well-equipped for the pitch in Christchurch but that may not be the case for the third one-dayer in Auckland. We've got a different sort of pitch here, and it may be that we need to tailor the team to suit."

New Zealand arrived in Christchurch yesterday and had a free afternoon, although some of the players headed down to Lancaster Park for a practice. South Africa, also, had an optional training session in the afternoon.

New Zealand: Dion Nash (captain), Matt Horne, Nathan Astle, Craig McMillan, Roger Twose, Matthew Bell, Chris Harris, Adam Parore, Daniel Vettori, Gavin Larsen, Simon Doull, Geoff Allott.
Pictured: Chris Cairns.