Cricket: Adams on in plaster

Andre Adams proved his one-day worth last week. Picture / Dean Purcell

Andre Adams has revealed that he will bat in a cast during Saturday's first one-day international against Sri Lanka.

Recalled to international duty after proving his fitness at domestic level, Adams still wears a cast on the ring finger of his left hand and is destined to do so for the next fortnight.

The Auckland all-rounder damaged a tendon during a fielding drill in early November and returned to the competitive scene in last week's state championship match against Northern Districts, bowling 27 overs and making 19 with the bat.

He told the Herald the cast helped to support and protect the damaged area of his finger, enabling him to bat and field without restriction, and without any noticeable reduction in strength.

"It covers the first two knuckles, allows me to flex a bit and to put pressure on it, while still preventing the damaged area of my finger from moving," he said.

"The finger's not bending fully yet but there's no pain and it's not really getting in the way in terms of playing. I was pretty surprised that I could actually bat and field without any discomfort."

Recently re-signed with English county side Essex, Adams went through his paces last week in front of national selector Dion Nash, earning an immediate recall after emerging from the outing unscathed.

It was hardly the ideal launching pad - showers reduced the match to a one-innings contest and Adams appeared short of a gallop, but it was evidently good enough for coach John Bracewell.

Sri Lanka's preparation for the upcoming series hasn't been ideal but Adams rejects the theory they will be a soft opponent, notwithstanding last month's 6-1 drubbing in India.

He reasoned that any side with the batting nucleus of Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene and Marvan Atapattu, the strike-power of Kumar Sangakkara, and the world-class bowling talents of Mutthiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas was going to take some beating.

"I reckon they're always a tough one-day opponent. Any team that has Murali in it is always going represent a big challenge.

"They might've been struggling lately but there's a lot of cricketers in Sri Lanka and they always seem to be uncovering fresh talent. They're a dangerous side and we won't be taking them lightly."

New Zealand have traditionally tried to exploit their home conditions to the maximum against sub-continental teams, fuelled by a belief that the touring batsmen are unfamiliar with the extra bounce.

Adams said the theory had some merit, and that the New Zealand bowlers would certainly try to force their opponents out of their comfort zone, and into less-familiar territory.

"I'd have to say there's a bit of truth in it, although Sri Lanka have a couple of notable exceptions in Jayasuriya and Sangakkara.

"We do try to exploit the bouncing ball against sides from the sub-continent. It certainly worked pretty well against India a couple of years back."

As for his own approach towards the Sri Lankans, Adams said he'd gained more composure since marrying Ardene and becoming a father (son Dante will be two years old in February), and was no longer the firebrand that he used to be.

"It's fair to say that fatherhood's toned me down a bit. I'm not quite so angry as I used to be, and I don't seem to be having the same old arguments with players or umpires.

"You probably become more tolerant and philosophical about things - at least that's the way it's seemed for me."