KEY POINTS:
Time is running out for those hoping to catch a World Cup flight to St Lucia in March.
While the current series against Sri Lanka has been touted as a time for rotation, rehabilitation and a host of other trendy terms beginning with 'r', New Zealand coach John Bracewell has emphasised there will be no rookies taken to the Caribbean.
Although the Black Caps have "reserved the right" to chop and change their squad during the Commonwealth Bank Series that begins on January 12, the high-profile nature of that series and the financial rewards that come with making the final should see experimentation kept to a minimum. So selection for the remaining games of the Sri Lanka series is a must for any prospective World Cup participants.
Not that there is much talent left to hoover up but, given the success of Ross Taylor, they might be tempted to have a look at an equally talented, if less mature, Jesse Ryder _ though the Twenty20 World Cup next year would seem a more logical introduction for the left hander.
"We named a 30-man squad to go to the Champions Trophy. With the evidence we've got, not a lot has changed within that 30-man squad," Bracewell said.
That squad can be realistically be extended to 32 with the rejuvenation of Canterbury's Craig McMillan, who has been the pick of the batsmen in domestic cricket this season, and the re-emergence of Wellington seamer Iain O'Brien.
"Always we are narrowing it down to that vital 15 that will make the trip to the World Cup."
Bracewell indicated that selecting someone from outside the mix would be a risk too far ahead of the biggest tournament in his coaching career.
"It's too high risk. We have the opportunity to up-skill and up-speed the likes of Mark Gillespie, who is a classic example. This is now his second tour of duty with us... we'll be trying to get as much experience into him and Ross Taylor as we can and that's probably the highest risk we'll take," Bracewell said.
Taylor's luminous century in Napier should make him a fixture but there are enough faltering bats in the New Zealand line-up to indicate that others in that extended squad could, or should, be given an opportunity.
Of that squad only Nathan McCullum, Peter McGlashan, Warren McSkimming, Mark Orchard, Ryder and Bradley Scott have yet to make their full - test or ODI - New Zealand debuts.
Of those, only Ryder - and to a lesser extent, Scott - appeal as a genuine ODI options. McGlashan is the third-choice keeper behind Brendon McCullum and Gareth Hopkins and looked a nervous wreck with the bat in the hit-or-miss Twenty20 internationals.
Nathan McCullum has Daniel Vettori and Jeetan Patel ahead of him in the finger-spinning department, while McSkimming is a fair way down the seamers' list. Orchard has yet to raise his head above the pack in the domestic scene.
Scott's left-arm variation could prove useful should James Franklin suffer an injury or a chronic loss of form while Ryder, 22, has been earmarked for selection since he made his Central Districts debut in the 2002-03 season.
Ryder earned the ire of New Zealand Cricket because he turned up unfit for the 'A' series in Australia over the winter.
While McMillan was dumped from the 30-man squad for that indiscretion, Ryder was given a reprieve because of his age and inexperience. He had an excellent tour with the 'A' side and has had a consistent start to the first-class season with close to 300 runs at an average of 45.3.
He has often been compared with Ross Taylor despite the fact they stand on opposite sides of the bat. In reality Ryder's first-class average is far superior to Taylor's _ 45.8 compared to 36.8 _ while Taylor's List A one-day record (average 39.7) is considerably better than Ryder's (26.5).
