Cricket: Test selectors left in a spin

By RICHARD BOOCK

BRISBANE - The way things have been going lately, the next injury to a New Zealand spin bowler will be a wrenched neck - from watching the ball soaring out of the park so often.

Never mind the question of who is New Zealand's No 2 spinner, the issue is whether we have one at all, and whether it might be more sensible to play an all-seam attack against the Australians.

From the moment left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori was carried from the field at Canberra, there has been doubt over the credentials of the two spinners vying for a test berth - Glen Sulzberger and Paul Wiseman.

Sulzberger, a batsman and part-time off-spinner to everyone but the New Zealand selectors, has struggled with his new role as a specialist slow bowler, and Wiseman has not recovered the rhythm that deserted him last summer.

Both were demolished against a Queensland Invitation XI, a scene all the more sobering because they were bowling against relatively unknown batsmen.

It is hard to imagine either causing too many headaches for players such as Mark Waugh, Ricky Ponting or Adam Gilchrist.

But the New Zealand tour selectors seem almost certain to include one - probably Sulzberger - in a shadow test team to play Queensland in a four-day match starting on Thursday, giving him one last opportunity to press his claims.

The Central Districts' right-armer has a reputation for being a patient operator, which is probably just as well with the number of stoppages on Sunday.

He gave up 43 runs off four overs. The scoring shots included one enormous blow which threatened diners at a nearby McDonalds.

Although Wiseman was marginally less hapless, giving up 36 off six overs, it seems he could be left out of the playing XI for the Queensland match, as the tour management opt to show faith in their original selection.

Wiseman, whistled into the team after Vettori's ankle injury, has a reasonable test record, including two five-wicket bags. But he has not enjoyed the confidence of the people who matter in recent times and may have to wait a bit longer for a recall.

Whatever happens on the slow-bowling front, the other main point concerning the test attack is whether Chris Martin or Daryl Tuffey will be retained. The selectors appear happy with the progress of Dion Nash and Chris Cairns, both of whom seem sure to play in the first test, and left-armer Shayne O'Connor is virtually an automatic choice.

Assuming New Zealand go into the test with a spinner, there will not be room for Tuffey and Martin, leaving a tough decision on which paceman to leave out.

Ironically, the quandary over the New Zealand bowlers escalated just as New South Wales fast bowler Brett Lee made his selectors' job a lot easier, returning from injury to take five for 56 against New South Wales.

Australian convener of selectors Allan Border watched the blond tearaway, who suffered a side-strain during the Ashes series, from the stand as he made a triumphant return to first-class cricket.

Greg Chappell, former Australian captain and Lee's South Australia coach, said afterwards he believed the paceman was going to cause a lot of discomfort for the New Zealand batsmen.

"I thought he bowled beautifully," Chappell said. "It would have done him no harm what he did today. He was excellent.

"If he keeps bowling like that, he'll get a lot of wickets in whatever form of cricket he plays."

The Queensland selectors yesterday named a near full-strength team.

They retained the 12 who played Victoria in a Pura Cup match that finished in a draw on Saturday, Queensland claiming two points to retain their lead in the competition.

The team includes test opener Matthew Hayden and other present or former internationals in batsman and captain Stuart Law, all-rounder Andrew Symonds and pace bowlers Andy Bichel and Michael Kasprowicz.

Pace bowlers Adam Dale, with a shoulder injury, and Joe Dawes, with a knee problem, were not considered.

Queensland have been given the next two days off after a hectic schedule of games and will not train before Thursday.

Queensland: Stuart Law (capt), Matthew Hayden, Jimmy Maher, Martin Love, Andrew Symonds, Wade Seccombe, Andy Bichel, Nathan Hauritz, Ashley Noffke, Michael Kasprowicz and Mitchell Johnson. The 12th man is yet to be named.