Cricket: Sinclair likely to open for Black Caps in tests

Fringe batsman Mathew Sinclair has the inside running for the vacant New Zealand test opener's position for the two-match series against Bangladesh.

Sinclair will open with Mark Richardson in the New Zealand team's only warm-up match starting in Dhaka on Thursday, coach John Bracewell said yesterday before the team's departure.

Bracewell said that if at all possible, captain Stephen Fleming would be kept at No 3 where he was best suited.

All the specialist batsmen would play in the opening match, with New Zealand using 12 players following the approval of the host association.

It means Nathan Astle and Hamish Marshall may be left vying for one middle-order position if Sinclair opens.

Sinclair was not an original selection for the 14-man party. He replaced opener Michael Papps in the team last week after Papps dislocated a shoulder while fielding.

Sinclair was the best-performed batsman on the tour by New Zealand A to South Africa, posting a career-best 268 and another century.

Bangladesh have played 30 tests for 27 losses and three draws since they were granted international status by the ICC in 2000-01.

New Zealand have not won a test series since beating India at home two seasons, five series and 12 tests ago, slumping to seventh on the test championship table.

Bracewell said from the information he had gathered the series would be an attritional battle, with the home side having to be prised out.

- NZPA