Cricket: Rooney and Henman mania drowns out Black Caps

3.30pm - By MARK GEENTY

MANCHESTER - New Zealand's cricketers strolled around the spectacular Old Trafford soccer ground unnoticed today as two English sporting phenomena cast an imposing shadow over the upcoming tri-series.

Roonmania and Henmania are colliding to swamp the British sporting consciousness this week as New Zealand prepare to meet England in the tournament opener here early on Friday (NZT).

The causes of the building hysteria are Wayne Rooney and Tim Henman, carrying a nation's hopes on the soccer pitch and tennis court respectively.

At 18, Rooney is huge news after his goalscoring brilliance for England at Euro 2004.

Front and back page tabloid headlines scream "Roo The Man" and "Your Country Needs Roo", complete with full page cut-out Rooney masks, as his asking price from home club Everton skyrockets by millions of pounds per day and hordes of grown men march along city streets chanting "Rooooney".

The more familiar Henmania is only starting to build at Wimbledon, with the venerable broadsheets devoting Henman plenty of column centimetres yesterday -- The Times gave him their back three pages -- all geared towards a breakthrough win.

A previous year's tabloid headline was recycled by a columnist: "No pressure Timbo, but choke now and we'll never forgive you".

New Zealand, meanwhile, are buried on page 46, somewhere near the classifieds, as they look to revive a forgettable seven weeks where they became the first New Zealand team since 1978 to lose a test series to England 0-3.

That starts just down the road from Manchester United's fortress, which drew the tourists in for a guided visit today as England were struck by injuries which raised doubt over key men Andrew Flintoff and Marcus Trescothick.

Their first task is a day-nighter, during which the ground may well empty as England take on Portugal in the Euro 2004 quarterfinals the same night.

New Zealand at least have some form on the board in recent days, a five-wicket hiding of Essex and a final over, five-run win over Northamptonshire.

One heartening sight was allrounder Chris Cairns, who showed his readiness to lead from the front and bowl the crucial 48th and 50th, or "death", overs.

He achieved phase one in style, conceding just five off the final over with excellent variation when the home side required 11 at Northampton.

While it may not be fitting reward for the man who nearly broke himself in taking nine wickets in his final test a week ago, it seemed an overdue change of role and Cairns said he was ready to take it on.

"It's tough but if you can win more than you lose, you're doing well," Cairns said.

"It's been a while since I've done it, a long time. But you're actually less nervous when you're bowling the over than when you're standing there fielding.

"Your natural instincts take over. I want to win and that's what drives me."

Cairns was impressed with Sunday's bowling, led by Daryl Tuffey and James Franklin, but less happy with the fielding.

A high standard in the field is something coach John Bracewell instilled during New Zealand's run of nine wins from 11 one-dayers at home last summer, but it slipped in the past week and there were dropped catches and overthrows.

"It's a sharpness that's missing compared to the home season. We've been on the road a long time but it's the big stuff coming up now.

"Hopefully it happens, but we've got to work hard in the next few days to hone it," Cairns said.

Spinner Daniel Vettori was to play a one-day match for the MCC against a school side today to prove his fitness, with manager Lindsay Crocker saying "we're trying to have him ready for Thursday".

Chris Harris may be the unlucky one to miss out if Vettori makes it.

- NZPA