Cricket: Fleming, Vincent on trial in different roles

KARACHI - The World Cup prospects of New Zealand cricket captain Stephen Fleming as an opening batsman and Lou Vincent as a wicketkeeper will be put on trial in the coming one-day series against Pakistan and the West Indies.

Fleming said on the eve of the first one-day international against Pakistan starting tonight (NZ time) he was keen to return to the opening role he last filled with success more than a year ago.

He also said Vincent would be seriously looked at as a potential World Cup gloveman as New Zealand continue their experiments from the Sharjah Cup tournament.

Fleming's last jaunt as an opener came against Pakistan in Dunedin last March when he scored 60 and added a record 193 for the first wicket with Nathan Astle as New Zealand won the series 3-2.

Oddly the combination hasn't been tried since in tournaments in Sri Lanka, Australia, the recent home series against England and the four matches in Sharjah.

Fleming has previously stated an aversion to opening despite the selectors' hopes he shift there, but he now felt "reasonably keen" on the idea for the balance of the side. He claimed hadn't done it sooner this year because he didn't want to dislodge a specialist top-order player.

It meant Matthew Horne would be the latest opener to be put aside after Vincent, Brendon McCullum and now the injured Chris Nevin, who looks like being overtaken by Vincent as a gloveman.

"The time has come, and World Cup-wise we need to know. It's always been short-term goals with results needed, but with a tour like this I think it's the last opportunity we'll get to experiment," Fleming said.

Fleming also hoped it would signal an upswing in form after he averaged 12.66 in the England test series then had scores of 34, 19 and 12 in Sharjah as he battled yet another finger injury.

Vincent was to be tried in today's match for the first time with the gloves in his 33rd one-day international. He has filled the role with some success for Auckland's one-day side.

The wicketkeeping spot has also become troublesome with the retirement of Adam Parore and Nevin's indifferent form.

Other experiments which could continue in this three-match series and in the West Indies in June include the floating of Craig McMillan and Chris Harris in the order along with hard-hitting allrounders Andre Adams, Jacob Oram and Scott Styris.

"It's a great opportunity this time of year to expose different players in different areas. It wasn't completely successful in Sharjah in terms of results, but come World Cup time these are going to be important games for us," said Fleming.

"We'd always planned to put guys up the order or use pinch hitters, and we'll continue to do so. We've got to find something that will win us games in South Africa (in the World Cup in February) more consistently."

Winning the one-day series in Pakistan was an ominous enough task but Fleming took heart from the last tour in 1996 when the one-dayers were lost 1-2 and the test series drawn 1-1.

Pakistan rampaged through the Sharjah tournament and boast a world-class bowling lineup of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar and Saqlain Mushtaq.

"I believe it's the toughest challenge for any touring side, they're confident and they're playing well," Fleming said.

"Theirs is the best balanced attack in world cricket."

- NZPA