Cricket: It's tough for Bracewell

Not for the first time in recent months, Stephen Fleming's batting position is set to dictate terms as the selectors mull over their line-up for the opening test against Zimbabwe, starting on Sunday.

Pushed up to open the batting in an unsuccessful campaign against Australia earlier this year, Fleming later moved back down the order for the final three tests of the season and was belatedly rewarded with a partial return to form.

However, with New Zealand's top-order and middle-order batsmen climbing all over themselves for the place in Sunday's line-up, there has been talk of using Fleming as an opener again to create some options behind him.

The theory is that, if Fleming was to open with either James Marshall or Craig Cumming, there would be a chance to recall either Jacob Oram or Scott Styris, both of whom are on the comeback trail after long battles with injury.

The selection dilemma has been caused by the return of Styris and Oram to a batting line-up that posted 500-plus totals in two of their past three innings, leaving coach John Bracewell with some of his toughest decisions since taking over the job.

If he opts to continue with Marshall and Cumming at the top of the innings, and with Fleming at No 4, he has only three batting slots remaining for a group comprising Nathan Astle, Hamish Marshall, Lou Vincent and Styris.

And if it's confirmed that Oram is still not a starter with the ball, he'll also be lining up with the others for a specialist batting position.

"We've got what every coach wants in this squad, depth in numbers," Bracewell said in Zimbabwe yesterday. "We've come away with our best squad for the past few years."

Of the top-order batting contenders, Vincent has scored 52 and 224 in his past two innings, Astle notched a century in his second-to-last test, as did Hamish Marshall, and Styris has a test average of nearly 40.

Depending on the status of Oram and returning fast-bowler Shane Bond, the coach can at least feel relieved that his problems are less complex when it comes to settling on the balance of the attack for the Harare test.

If Bond recovers adequately from the rigours of the Namibian warm-up games he seems likely to be included in the XI alongside fellow pacemen Chris Martin and James Franklin, and spinner Daniel Vettori.

Bracewell said there was an air of excitement about the prospect of Bond returning to the international scene.

"We've placed a few limits on him in training, but he's looking good and, if he gets selected, those limits fall away," he said.

Bracewell was delighted with the commitment shown by his squad as they practised without the contents of the 29 pieces of luggage that were missing when they touched down in Harare.