KEY POINTS:
Mathew Sinclair and Ross Taylor are the big early winners out of Scott Styris' decision to quit test cricket.
What was shaping as a three-way contest for a middle-order spot in the test series against England has suddenly been trimmed by one-third.
Sinclair is the encumbent, courtesy of playing both Bangladesh tests. Even though he didn't grasp his opportunity against lightweight opposition, making 29 and a scratchy 47 in New Zealand's two innings, he's likely to retain No 5 for the start of the three-test series against England, beginning at Seddon Park in Hamilton on March 5.
Taylor's ears will have pricked up at Styris' announcement yesterday. He had two tests in South Africa before Christmas - 15, 4, 17 and 8 - and was undone by the hosts' pace attack. But his talent is undeniable. A strong ODI series against England will enhance his claims.
Had Styris been available, and making runs in the ODIs against England, he would have thrown out a powerful argument for a rapid return to the test side, after being grumpy at being dumped for the Bangladesh series. But he insisted yesterday that the selectors' action had no bearing on his decision to turn his back on tests.
Indeed, he said being omitted for that two-test walkover merely brought forward the end of his test days by one series.
"The decision's come a little earlier than I'd been hoping but it's been on the cards for a while so it's a bit of a relief it's finally out there," he said. "The selectors thought my reasons were sound and understand why I want to make this decision. I was probably going to do it after the home series against England."
Styris, one of only seven New Zealanders to make a century on test debut, wants to keep playing ODIs and Twenty20 cricket for New Zealand for several years, and is eyeing the next World Cup to be staged in Asia in 2011.
He is packing in tests to prolong his limited-overs career, saying the constant niggling injuries, particularly to his knees and back, combined with little time for rehabilitation, meant "if I don't knock something on the head I won't be round in 12 months' time".
"I don't enjoy that form of the game as much as the one-dayers and I'm probably more suited to the one-day style," the 32-year-old said. "I feel I'm a better one-day player."
Styris' decision won't affect his New Zealand Cricket contract or his ability to collect another one when the next list takes effect from June 1. New Zealand Cricket Players' Association manager Heath Mills said last night that Styris' decision was nothing new, citing Chris Cairns and Stephen Fleming as others who had stepped down from one form of the game in mid-contract.
Mills pointed out that even though Styris is not playing about half New Zealand's commitments from now on, there are other elements which he is tied in to, including training and promotional obligations which he must still fulfil.
Styris will pocket significantly less next time round than had he been available for all cricket. The selectors rank their top 25 test and ODI players separately, with tests getting an extra 1.25 weighting, to find the top 20 who receive NZC contracts. Styris will get no points for the test component.
However not playing tests could also have a decent financial spinoff for Styris.
He has a deal with the Indian Premier League, as one of five New Zealanders signed on for the Indian-board organised Twenty20 competition. It is due to start on April 18 and run 44 days.
Styris' guaranteed IPL payout is US$150,000. The IPL franchises then bid for players, which can mean a top-up for players depending on how they are valued.
As Styris won't be required to be in England on New Zealand duty until the ODI series starting on June 15, he could hold extra appeal to bidders because he will be available for longer than the other four New Zealanders - captain Daniel Vettori, Jacob Oram, Brendon McCullum and Stephen Fleming. They are all expected to be on the test tour, beginning at Lord's on May 15, and therefore will have limited IPL playing time.
