KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's selectors hope Jesse Ryder's wild oats have been sown and he's ready to announce himself to world cricket in capital letters next week.
The enfant terrible of New Zealand domestic cricket will open the batting in the both Twenty20 internationals and, if all goes according to
plan, the early ODIs against England with feisty Brendon McCullum.
The muscular lefthander's abilities have never been questioned; his problems have been off field. Disciplinary issues figure large in his CV; and there was the odd business last year of looking to throw his lot in with England, unhappy at his treatment by the national selectors, courtesy of his grandparents' British passports - then failing to turn up to play for Ireland in May.
But Sir Richard Hadlee, convenor of the national selection panel, said last night they hope the time is right for Ryder to demonstrate his talents on the big stage.
"Clearly we've had concerns over the years with a number of issues off the field," he said. "We've tried to address those and feel he's made some positive strides forward."
What he doesn't have, however, is runs on the board this season, which makes the timing of his selection peculiar.
His first-class average is 42 - but only 21 this season - while in the one-day State Shield this summer, Ryder has made just 66 runs at 13.2; his domestic ODI career statistics are 869 runs at 20.
But he clubbed 66 in 27 balls against Auckland last Monday, so in more ways than one, his timing was impressive.
Clearly he's been taken on potential. Hadlee said statistics "are only an indicator anyway and we shouldn't be too fooled by it".
"We've seen this fellow play and we know what he can do. He's explosive and he and McCullum, if it works, could be exciting for fans and the future of our game. We just feel he's got something to offer."
Ryder has shed about 10kg and tidied his act up.
"Off the field I have had a few problems in the past but this year has been great," he said yesterday. "You have to grow up sooner or later if you want to make the big time. It's taken me a little longer than I had hoped."
There is another Twenty20 opportunity for promising teenager Tim Southee, and a belated recall for Auckland allrounder Paul Hitchcock in both squads, plus more grim news for Mathew Sinclair, who is out again, having been recalled for the South African one-dayers in December.
Sinclair must feel like a boxer who, every time he gets back on his feet, is sent back to the canvas with another right hook. He did well in South Africa, struggled in Australia - with the rest of the batsmen - and didn't get a chance against Bangladesh. Hadlee acknowledged Sinclair was unlucky, squeezed out of the mix once the panel decided to shove Ryder in at the top and bump the other batsmen down a spot.
Essentially it came down to a choice of Sinclair or Peter Fulton behind the big strikers - Ryder, McCullum, Ross Taylor, Scott Styris and Jacob Oram. "Outside a couple of innings [in South Africa] he hasn't had the opportunity or has missed out and when you look at the balance of the side he just didn't quite fit," Hadlee added. Hadlee's message to Sinclair? Keep putting numbers on the board and he reinforced the point Sinclair remains in the mix.
The panel has endeavoured to give coach John Bracewell and captain Daniel Vettori a pile of alternatives for various scenarios - plans A, B and C if you will - and it looks like most bases have been covered.
The exciting if erratic Taylor is set to return to No 3. It is a positive step. Thirteen of his 33 ODIs have been at first drop and that's where he's got his two centuries and his average there, 34.36, is slightly higher than his overall average.
NZ squads named to play England
Twenty20: Daniel Vettori (captain), Brendon McCullum, Jesse Ryder, Jamie How, Ross Taylor, Scott Styris, Jacob Oram, Peter Fulton, Kyle Mills, Paul Hitchcock, Chris Martin, Tim Southee.
One-day: Vettori (captain), McCullum, Ryder, How, Taylor, Styris, Fulton, Oram, Mills, Hitchcock, Martin, Michael Mason, Jeetan Patel.
