Cricket: Bracewell backs struggling Astle

Nathan Astle has been given a vote of confidence by New Zealand coach John Bracewell as his batting slump in the international cricket arena continues.

Astle, used as a super-sub in the Black Caps seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka in Queenstown on Saturday, was dismissed leg before wicket for two.

It meant the 205-game veteran has now averaged 13 from his last eight innings.

Astle and fellow under-performer Craig McMillan were dumped from the squad following the Chappell-Hadlee series three weeks ago, but Astle was a late addition to the Black Caps when skipper Stephen Fleming withdrew for the birth of his first child.

Astle will remain in the squad for the second game of the five-match series here tomorrow, and could again be used with the Jade Stadium pitch shaping to offer a similar run fest to the Black Caps world-record run chase in beating Australia here on December 10.

"I think Nathan's record shows he's better with the harder ball (at the start of innings)," Bracewell said yesterday.

"I don't think anybody would deny that and it's just about utilising Nathan's skills which we believe he will always have. He can dominate the first 20 (overs)."

Replays appear to show his dismissal to Muttiah Muralitharan may have been harsh, but his failure was the only one on Saturday as the Black Caps cantered past Sri Lanka's 164 with 12 overs remaining.

Astle's class is not in question with his 15 one-day international centuries a New Zealand record, while he's also the second highest run scorer of all time with 6458 behind Fleming.

He also posted a match-winning 115 not out when New Zealand won a tri-series final in Zimbabwe two months ago.

But his batting has since slumped, and despite a 67 for Canterbury in Friday's State Shield match, he's also struggled domestically.

Bracewell said Astle was trying to fight his way through the barren patch and was still in the mix for Tuesday's game.

"I think Nathan's starting to work through that. He's working very hard on his game, he was working on his game at Rangiora on Friday to get that batting rhythm, and also to try to get that optimism and fearlessness back into his game.

"I think that when you get a string of (poor) results, no matter how much experience you have, it can affect you."

Astle also has good reason to look over his shoulder. His replacement for the Sri Lankan tour, Jamie How, scored a polished 58 on debut with a powerful array of shot making in a well structured innings.

Peter Fulton, in just his second international, carved an unbeaten 70 from 79 balls.

The Black Caps selectors have been attempting to build some depth within New Zealand's cricketing ranks which has created a lot of competition, and in some a cases nervousness within some players, Bracewell said.

Allrounder Chris Cairns, dropped for the South Africa tour in October, bounced back in the Chappell-Hadlee series, but was carted around the field on Saturday in an otherwise impressive New Zealand bowling attack.

"I think the fact Chris started to speed up in everything he did was a message that even at the age of 36 you can get a little bit nervous about your performances.

"And with the competition within the team, I think it's keeping guys honest and when a 36-year-old starts getting nervous and you have look at ways to slow yourself down, I think it's healthy sign rather than a concern.

"We understand he can and does bowl well but he was frenetic yesterday in the pace of the match, I think it's good sign."

Both teams arrived here yesterday with no injury concerns to the squads that contested in Queenstown.

New Zealand can seal the series with victory on Tuesday as they have taken a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. The first match was played on Boxing Day last year when a tsunami struck parts of southern Asia, including Sri Lanka, and the team's tour here had to be abandoned.

- NZPA