Cricket: Neesham hopes to have found his niche in NZ side with six appeal

Jimmy Neesham's job is to get in and lay a platform for the death push at the end of the innings. Photo / AP

Jimmy Neesham hopes to have his name circled beside the No6 position in New Zealand's ODI batting order for a while.

He has had a decent one-day summer.

First off, he went to Australia for the Chappell-Hadlee series before Christmas and made a fine 74 off 83 balls in the second game in Canberra, filling the absent Ross Taylor's No4 spot.

There was a better than a run a ball 48 at Eden Park against the Aussies in what will be known as the Marcus Stoinis match; and his 71 not out off 57 balls on Wednesday at Hagley Oval helped Ross Taylor lay the groundwork for victory over South Africa.

It was a timely contribution, for the team and himself. Neesham was batting at No6. He has been shuffled about but fancies settling in at that spot.

"When I come in and was bounced around the order a bit, eight, seven, and a couple of games opening," Neesham said yesterday.

"It's nice to find a niche in the middle order and hopefully number six can be my position for a few years to come."

Neesham, who has played 32 ODIs, has an overall batting average of 29.04.

However, since going to Australia in December, it has jumped to 46 in that period.

Neesham said coach Mike Hesson had been clear about his role - get in and lay a platform for the death push at the end of the innings.

There's a seam of confidence in the squad and winning two of the remaining three ODIs against South Africa is well within their grasp, he added.

"Everyone's certainly growing into their roles. With a major global tournament coming up in the near horizon that's good."

Hesson calls Neesham "one of the ticks in the column" to come out of the Hagley Oval match.

"We're starting to answer a few questions around the balance of the side," Hesson added.

Neesham calls his bowling "a work in progress" but feels it's moving in the right direction.

With pressure likely to come on the allround roles, Neesham needs to keep that progress going to stay in the team.