CRICKET - Marshall hopes to put best foot forward

James Marshall has been here before. As in: Recently dumped from the Black Caps, named as skipper of the New Zealand A team and poised to lead a tour where his international cricket career is at a critical junction.
Not that Marshall is letting the pressure get too overbearing.
The 29-year-old Northlander is accepting the challenges the NZ A tour to Australia and India offers with a refreshing mindset and an eagerness to kick-start the season with a bold statement to the Black Caps selectors.
Marshall left with the NZ A team on Friday named as "co-captain" with Canterbury's Peter Fulton. When he gets back, he hopes to be back in the mix for the recall to full Black Caps status after he fell out of favour during the England tour last summer.
"Obviously what happened in England is far from ideal, but I took a bit of time off and got away from the game for a bit, refocused and am quite looking forward to the season now," Marshall said. "There has been a lot of pre-season training now and I am just happy to have the opportunity to get out there and play. At least I have got the opportunity to push my claims."
It has been a sobering off-season for Marshall since he arrived home with the Black Caps from England four months back. It was all looking rosy when he opened his tour account with a solid innings and forced his way into the starting team for the first test at Lords.
But he failed to fire in the first test and was passed over for the rest of the tour. The plan now is for a bold approach to his cricket. He feels it is time to make a strong statement to the selectors.
"It is a matter of being confident and making an impression on the field, making an impression at trainings and being more forceful in the whole team environment," he said.
Coached by State Otago Volts' Mike Hesson and managed by former New Zealand coach and player Glenn Turner, the NZ A team will play warm-up matches in Brisbane against the Queensland Bulls before travelling to India for a one-day tri series against India A and Australia A.
The strong line-up includes a mix of established Black Caps players, fringe selections and development picks and was bolstered after the Champions Trophy tour to Pakistan was thrown into doubt.
Jeetan Patel and Mark Gillespie are included for the one-day matches, while Iain O'Brien and Trent Boult will join the team for the first-class games in India.