Cricket: Selectors unlikely to pick Marshall

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Northern Districts team-mates Simon Doull and Hamish Marshall may be the winners and losers when the New Zealand cricket team to play Zimbabwe in the Boxing Day test is named today.

The announcement, expected late yesterday, was delayed until the players were informed.

The balance of the team, a partner for opening batsman Mark Richardson, and a third seam bowler must have given the selectors most food for thought.

A recall for Matt Horne, injured out of the African tour but now back at the top of the Otago order and with scores of 28, 73, 0, 36, 6 (unluckily run out) and 50 not out, seems likely, although Gary Stead, who has scored 269 runs at an average of 67.25 (in four innings), and Matthew Bell must be in contention.

Bell, 325 at 81.25 (also from four completed innings), has shown he is near to winning back his test spot.

But if the selectors want to find a genuine opening batsman - Adam Parore was promoted to that role in the third and final test in South Africa - Marshall could be sidelined, despite his brave unbeaten 40 on debut.

Craig Spearman, who did not play the third test in South Africa after a largely unproductive tour, would seem to be out of the equation.

If Horne and Richardson are the preferred openers, and if Matthew Sinclair, captain Stephen Fleming, Nathan Astle and Craig McMillan are to fill the rest of the top order, there would be no place for Marshall.

The ability of Astle and McMillan to bowl a few overs might be enough for their survival ahead of the unlucky Marshall.

Parore will drop back to a more customary No 7.

With Daniel Vettori, Dion Nash, Chris Cairns (all recovering from injuries) and Geoff Allott now firmly in the one-day camp, Brooke Walker (a genuine allrounder) and Paul Wiseman will dispute the spin responsibility.

Doull is poised for a return and should join Shayne O'Connor and Chris Martin in a three-pronged pace attack, leaving Daryl Tuffey, Central's Michael Mason, Auckland's Chris Drum and young Wellington allrounder James Franklin to wait for another day.

The likely 12 for the December 26-30 test could be: Horne, Richardson, Sinclair, Fleming, Astle, McMillan, Parore, Walker, Doull, Wiseman, O'Connor and Martin.

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