View photos: NZ v England, fifth one-dayerKEY POINTS:
If you are the kind to look for omens, the fact Jesse Ryder's name was missing from the invitational side to face England in Dunedin next week doesn't bode well for his selection in the test team to face England.
The selectors will name the side to face
the tourists in the first test at Hamilton on Wednesday morning, after an invitational side has faced England in a two-day match at University Oval.
The "people's favourite" has made a huge impact in the one-day series and, if anything, his first-class career indicates he is better suited to test cricket than one-day cricket. However that does not appear to have swayed the selectors, who have instead given the likes of out-of-form Peter Fulton and Mathew Sinclair a chance to find some form before the test series.
With the bowling line-up seemingly settled, the real intrigue hinges around the top five, where only Matthew Bell, Jamie How and Stephen Fleming seem certain of a spot.
If How is considered a test opener, then that spells curtains for Craig Cumming's test career. It might be that How bats No 3 instead of Fulton, who occupied that position against Bangladesh. That would put pressure on the coveted No 5 position where Sinclair, Ross Taylor and Ryder will be hoping to find a place.
Taylor is probably a long shot, going by Sir Richard Hadlee's stated credo that the selectors only want batsmen who have demonstrated they can bat for long periods of time.
Sinclair is the incumbent but failed to convert two starts against Bangladesh. His 47 at the Basin Reserve was an inglorious affair that had long-time critics of the right-hander baying for his blood.
The bowling line-up looks settled, largely because Michael Mason is injured and Iain O'Brien did enough to survive in his last test, though he still has a long way to go to convince that he is test class.
It is likely 12th-man duties will come down to Jeetan Patel and O'Brien, with the possibility the Seddon Park surface could become interesting by day five.
Invitational team to face England, University Oval, tomorrow and Tuesday: Matthew Bell, Stephen Fleming, Peter Fulton, Mark Gillespie, Shaun Haig, Gareth Hopkins, Leighton Morgan, Gareth Shaw, Jordan Sheed, Mathew Sinclair, Will Somerville, Nic Turner, Sam Wells.
Possible test XI for Hamilton, starting March 5: Matthew Bell, Jamie How, Stephen Fleming, Mathew Sinclair, Peter Fulton, Jacob Oram, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori, Kyle Mills, Iain O'Brien, Chris Martin, Jeetan Patel.
