Cricket: 'Talent' scarce on the ground

By RICHARD BOOCK

The New Zealand cricket selectors gave an indication of the vast emptiness of their cupboard yesterday when they named an unchanged squad to play Australia in the second test at Wellington.

The tourists' 62-run victory at Eden Park not only put them 1-nil up in the three-test series, but also put the spotlight on New Zealand's top-order batting - which again looked woefully inadequate against pace and spin bowling alike.

New Zealand crashed to 26 for four in the first innings and 43 for four in the second, highlighting a problem which has dogged the side for the past couple of years - not so much the poor form of the incumbents, but the lack of potential replacements.

If recent history is any guide, the selectors will no doubt wait for another top-order collapse at the Basin Reserve before sending out an SOS for Canterbury's Gary Stead, who will probably make a decent fist of things before being left out of the squad to tour South Africa.

Chris Harris has some domestic form on his side but is more of a mid-to-late order option, while Roger Twose - if he could be persuaded to abandon his one-day preference - seems to have better top-level form than many of the present players.

Matt Horne has struggled dreadfully since scoring his century at Lords last year, his past 10 test innings realising just 141 runs, and though he is on the comeback after breaking his hand against the West Indies, can only be surviving because the selectors have no better options.

Central Districts' team-mates Craig Spearman and Mathew Sinclair are in something of a drought as well, and will be watched as Australia plays Central, starting in Napier on Saturday.

Already out of the one-day side, Spearman is under intense pressure to establish his place in the test team. He did not help his cause with an ill-disciplined slash at Brett Lee in the first innings of the test, before being trapped in front by Glenn McGrath in the second.

It is almost inconceivable that the selectors would drop Sinclair after the 24-year-old scored 214 on debut earlier this season, but his fading form is no less of a concern.

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming would not elaborate on his side's top-order batting problems yesterday, saying only that "it's not ideal."

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

Central Districts team to play Australia: Spearman (capt), David Kelly, Sinclair, Glen Sulzberger, Mark Douglas, Jacob Oram, Martyn Sigley, Campbell Furlong, Tim Anderson, Lance Hamilton, Michael Mason, Andrew Penn.