Cricket: Sinclair got raw deal, says Lees

Former New Zealand wicket-keeper and coach Warren Lees has blasted the environment within the national team in the wake of Mathew Sinclair's proposed shift to South Africa.

Sinclair, who was on Thursday night named New Zealand's best batsman outside the one-day scene, is at present negotiating terms with South African team Eastern Province,.

He is expected to jump ship quickly if offered the opportunity.

The 30-year-old right-hander lost his contract with New Zealand Cricket last year after being overtaken by James Marshall and Craig Cumming.

He responded strongly on the domestic front this season, scoring 848 runs at an average of 53.

Lees, well-known for his man-management within cricket teams, and a former teacher of slow-learners at Dunedin's Bayfield High School, said yesterday he was convinced that Sinclair had been marginalised by his peers.

"Each time he was brought into the national team he did pretty well at the start and then his performances began tailing off," Lees said last night.

"That suggests to me that he was never comfortable in the New Zealand environment.

"Why? Because the nucleus of the side, the established core of mainly Canterbury players, picked on him as the fall guy.

"All the jokes would have been at Sinclair's expense, and after a while, that begins to hurt.

"I think they've treated him badly, maybe a bit like the village idiot."

Lees noted that there had been three different coaches of the New Zealand side since Sinclair made his sensational debut against the West Indies in 1999.

But the on-going constant was the cabal of Canterbury players - Chris Cairns, Nathan Astle, Chris Harris, Craig McMillan, and Stephen Fleming.

He believed at one stage they almost ran the team.

"I'd imagine that was when Mathew found the environment almost intolerable." he said.

"I don't think it's quite as bad now, but it would've taken a toll and - no matter what people say - there's some things that you simply don't forget."

Lees said he believed personality issues within the New Zealand team had also affected the careers of spin bowler Paul Wiseman, along with batsmen Mark Richardson and Lou Vincent.

"Some of these guys just don't fit the prescribed mould and because of that, they get marginalised by either their teammates or the team management."