Anendra Singh: What next? Too many foreign players

Let it be known that I don't know John Wright, I just know of him.

What I do know is that last summer he had no qualms about letting me pick his brains momentarily when he could have easily hid behind the aprons of spin doctors.

The questions were primarily aimed at whether Kruger van Wyk or BJ Watling should be the first-choice wicketkeeper and, later, what more Peter McGlashan had to do to crouch behind the stumps.

That Wright, thanks to the help of a Central Districts stalwart, threw delectable but cryptic morsels my way suggests he wasn't averse to talking to the media.

In fact, he always smiled and waved to the journalists every time he turned up at Nelson Park, Napier, for a net session despite his reservations.

That skipper Ross Taylor was adamant Watling should play against Zimbabwe - and that came to pass - also spoke volumes because when the South Africans arrived soon after, Van Wyk had assumed that mantle.

This fulfilled Wright's prediction and reaffirmed his impact, albeit latently.

In February, I had interviewed Daniel Vettori at Iona College at the end of a PR exercise with schoolgirls.

In the course of the express interview, the former New Zealand captain was adamant the pedigree of the two Johns was pivotal in ensuring cricket in this country was not going to be caught up in the doldrums again.

The world-class spinner reckoned Australian John Buchanan's experience as a World Cup-winning coach, before becoming director of cricket in New Zealand to help establish a high-performance programme, was paramount in the New Zealand team's success.

So was that of Wright.

"Wrighty really has a good understanding of the players now and the guys really enjoy being around him so I think the combination of the two Johns will be a real asset, not just now but for years to come," the Northern Districts Knights player said of out-going Black Caps coach Wright, who took India to euphoric heights in the international arena last decade.

Wright has since poured cold water on those warm fuzzies.

If anything, it comes across like bitter medicine that New Zealand Cricket have to swallow.

I must admit, from the time Buchanan was appointed, I have heard persistent grumblings about Ockers usurping this country's No1 summer sport.

When the Australian appointed countryman Kim Littlejohn as his selection manager, it became quite obvious they were going to become scapegoats for every cricketing ailment here.

How the nationality of a person in authority can have a detrimental effect on New Zealand's future beats me.

The reality is Buchanan's appointment was never going to sit comfortably with the old boys' network in this country.

What's frustrating is that Wright was unable to find common ground to remain at the helm of a promising group of a predominantly young brigade who will, hopefully, reap the rewards in a few years.

Wright's credentials, especially with India, speak for themselves.

It seems strange that a man can handle the complexities of a tumultuous cricketing nation with aplomb but throw in the towel when it comes to his own country.

If everything in the media is perceived to be true, then Wright comes across very wrong - a despot who should have his way solely because he's a Kiwi.

Having said that, New Zealand isn't India. Batting has always been a forte of the Indians.

The same cannot be said of the Black Caps and a rash of coaches walking the gangplank primarily on the inability of batsmen to occupy the crease is a testimony to that.

It didn't help that Littlejohn, an accomplished cricketer in his own right, walked into his new role here from a bowls background.

But the Buchanan era is already showing the benefits of accountability.

Anyone caught transgressing is warned to shape up or, failing that, as Jesse Ryder found out, ship out.

Tim Southee's form plummeted and he lost his perch based purely on statistics before he was called into the touring squad to West Indies rather than discarded on a scrap heap.

The selection process is transparent with Buchanan and Co who are not afraid to experiment with raw talent.

Nothing illustrates that better than a willingness to inject promising spinners into a squad that will no doubt look anaemic when Vettori leaves.

Having specialist coaches and players for the three different formats - Twenty20s, ODIs and tests - makes perfect sense.

I still believe the batting woes stem from T20s but to base players' perceived success against Zimbabwe was always going to be a poor yardstick.

A cursory glance around the domestic scene in the country shows players and even some coaches with foreign roots.

That Buchanan's selection regime scouted the talent of South Africa-born Van Wyk and Neil Wagner, Tarun Nethula (India) and Colin de Grandhomme (Zimbabwe), to name a few, without prejudice suggests ability based on statistics is paramount.

What next? Too many foreign players?

You don't become a lesser nation because you employ more knowledgeable people, including Kiwi players from Australia.

Buchanan's philosophy has effectively nipped in the bud the emergence of a Lord of the Flies culture that threatened to damage the game irreparably.

Black Cap Brendon McCullum believes outgoing Kenya coach Mike Hesson will be a good candidate as Wright's successor but, in the same breath, he accepts he's impartial towards the Dunedin-born coach.

Will Buchanan make a political appointment to appease the mob or will he pick the best man for the job based on the resumes in front of him?

Not deviating from his selection philosophy, even for coaches, is advisable for consistency.

Conversely, Wright will also agree no one will ever be bigger than the game itself.