Cricket: Stead in line for selection bouncer

By RICHARD BOOCK

TAUPO - The stop-start international career of Gary Stead pauses at the crossroads again today when the New Zealand cricket selectors name their squad for the first test against the West Indies.

The main question surrounding the 13-man squad is whether Stead - who has twice come to New Zealand's rescue at test level in the past year - will withstand a strong challenge from rookie Mathew Sinclair and retain his opening batting berth in Hamilton.

The early signs have not been encouraging for the 27-year-old New Zealand A skipper. The selectors do not regard him as a long-term prospect as an opening batsman, with convener Ross Dykes saying only yesterday afternoon that, despite his excellent performance in Ahmedabad, Stead was "not a real opener."

The right-handed Cantabrian was first called into the test team to play South Africa last summer after Craig McMillan fractured a finger - and ended up averaging 42.66 against the likes of Alan Donald, Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener, Jacques Kallis and Steve Elworthy.

His reward was being left out of the test squad to tour England, but he was rushed back in after McMillan fractured another digit in India, performing beyond all expectations as a caretaker opener with 78 in the second innings of the third test.

If he retired today, Stead would leave cricket with a highly respectable test average of 44.60, but there were signs in Taupo that he had more to offer the national side, both during his abbreviated first innings against the West Indies' quicks, and when he backed up with a 98-minute stay at the crease yesterday.

If the drums are to be believed, however, he could well become one of the few players in test history to be dropped not once, but twice after scoring a half-century.

Sinclair also showed some ability against the tourists in Taupo, top-scoring for his side with 38 in the first innings following some prolific early-season form, highlighted by his 182 against England A at Lincoln.

The 24-year-old Central Districts right-hander has been one of the most promising players on the New Zealand first-class scene for the past couple of summers, ending last season with 2298 first-class runs at an average of 45.96, including three centuries and a top-score of 203 not out.

His inclusion would mean a reshuffle to the test batting line-up, incumbent No 3 Craig Spearman likely to be asked to open with Matt Horne, with Sinclair possibly moving into first drop.

Elsewhere, the test squad appears a fairly straight-forward selection process. Injuries to Dion Nash and McMillan are no doubt the biggest concerns for the panel.

However, the decision to name 13 rather than 12 in the squad will allow the selectors to provide seam bowling cover for Nash, with Shayne O'Connor and Andrew Penn expected to join Chris Cairns as the specialist pace-bowling options.

The number of left-handed batsmen in the West Indian party has not only strengthened O'Connor's chances of being recalled, it has also helped the prospects of off-spinner Paul Wiseman, who proved one of New Zealand A's more effective bowlers at Taupo.

New Zealand (possible): Matt Horne, Craig Spearman, Mathew Sinclair, Stephen Fleming (capt), Nathan Astle, Craig McMillan, Adam Parore, Chris Cairns, Dion Nash, Daniel Vettori, Andrew Penn, Shayne O'Connor, Paul Wiseman.