Daniel Flynn has vowed to force his way back into the Black Caps - and the quickest way he can see is with a match-winning knock.
Where the Tauranga batsman will fit into the Northern Districts team in tomorrow's State Shield final against Otago is still a mystery but his motivation was there for all to witness last night.
Flynn hit a quick-fire 26 off 24 balls, including two straight sixes, as ND made 173/4 in their Twenty20 match against the New Zealand Cricket Players' Association XI at Mount Maunganui's Bay Oval.
After being dropped from the Black Caps for the Chappell-Hadlee series in Australia, the 23-year-old knows exactly what he needs to do.
"I'm obviously disappointed to miss out on that Aussie tour but you've got to look at performances and I haven't really put the runs on the board," Flynn said. "That's what I've come back to ND to do and I'm hoping to start on Saturday - it would be a good time to put in a big performance and make a big score and hopefully the selectors stand up and take notice."
ND coach Grant Bradburn was delighted with yesterday's efforts from his squad, which included a 4hr training session before their match, despite the CPA XI chasing down the total with nearly three overs to spare.
"The guys have had a big day - we were aware that more State Shields have been won from the semi spot rather than the finals spot because of that week off, so today's served a great purpose in giving us an intense workout," Bradburn said.
"Our guys are pretty gutted - we didn't bowl particularly well - but from a coaching point of view that's not a bad thing.
"There certainly won't be any complacency tomorrow."
Bradburn pointed out that Flynn was no certainty for the final, with the in-form ND batting lineup making it difficult to slot an international player back in.
Peter McGlashan smashed 52 off 27 balls yesterday, while another Tauranga batsman Kane Williamson grabbed a maiden ton in the Knights' last match against Auckland a week ago.
"No 3 is the position where he's scored all his runs but in any cricket team you need to earn your spot every year. Unfortunately for Flynny, we've got guys who've won matches for us 3, 4, 5 and 6 this year. He's really just got to take the position that's available to him."
Flynn would love that spot to be at first drop, where he's scored the bulk of his first class runs and where he averages nearly 43 in nine tests for New Zealand, but he'll take any chances he can.
"I want to force my way back into the one-day side for the Indian series and the only way I can do that is by scoring runs.
"My performances in test cricket have been pretty good, especially in the last series, and I'd like to think that No 3 spot for the moment is mine but I want to play all three forms of the game for New Zealand."
While McGlashan's fireworks helped ND to a competitive total yesterday, the unheralded hitting of CPA XI slugger Luke Vivian took the game away from the hosts. Vivian, the son and grandson of former New Zealand test players Graham and Giff, smacked 85 from just 43 balls, including eight sixes, while Tauranga's Graeme Aldridge hit the winning runs off his ND teammates.
The 27-year-old Vivian made the Auckland squad in 2000 but never grabbed chances, and has since played two Twenty20 and six one-day matches for Canterbury before heading overseas.
He was impressed by the Bay Oval wicket, which is set to host two ND State Twenty20 matches next month.
"It was a good track with nice even bounce and if the bowlers put their back into it, it would come through well," Vivian said.
Result: ND 173/4 (Peter McGlashan 52no, B J Watling 47, Daniel Flynn 26; Kerry Walmsley 2-30) lost to CPA XI 174/5 (Luke Vivian 85no, Rob Nicol 36, Graeme Aldridge 19no) by five wickets.
Flynn vows to fight for Black Caps spot
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