Andrew Alderson: Limited and out of form

Star batsman Ross Taylor has only turned out twice in the four-day format for Central Districts in the past four seasons. Photo / APN

Small wonder New Zealand's batsmen struggle at test level - playing so few four-day games leaves them comparatively unprepared.

It's not about to get any better. A cluttered international schedule means the Black Caps are likely to get few, if any, Plunket Shield first-class matches over the next year.

The current Future Tours Programme ends in June 2012. Before then, New Zealand has series scheduled against Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa from November, with a month-long break for the HRV Cup next January.

That means the top order will continue to have limited chances to occupy the crease in the longer form.

Given the unpredictable - and often parlous - nature of their performances in tests, there is little opportunity for sustained improvement at any reasonable level outside the nets for the foreseeable future.

Of the current 13 brought to Wellington for the Pakistan test, just three - Kane Williamson, Reece Young and Brent Arnel - have played more than half the 21 possible domestic four-dayers since 2008-09.

That is only because they were not part of the test or limited-overs squads for the majority of the last three seasons.

Even test specialists Tim McIntosh (nine games) and Chris Martin (seven games) fail to meet that criteria.

New Zealand Cricket [NZC] gets pulled in several directions but commercialism ultimately wins.

Top Black Caps bring money through the gate in the HRV Cup so that is the priority, regardless of how much the test strength is diluted. The irony is those gate-takings help subsidise the longer format.

In theory, New Zealand's best test players would get a minimum number of first-class matches each season but such chances fail to materialise.

NZC has tried to counter that with emerging player tours to Australia over winter, New Zealand A tours to the likes of Zimbabwe and India and Invitational XI matches against touring countries.

However, the standard of cricket can be compromised and there is a considerable difference between belting out the runs in Brisbane, Harare or Chennai in a composite side, versus non-test opposition, compared to the hostile demands of the test arena.

This is the fourth straight season Daniel Vettori has not played in a four-dayer for Northern Districts.

In that same period, Brendon McCullum has played once for Otago and Ross Taylor twice for Central Districts.

Until the international window is reduced by the International Cricket Council, there will be limited chances for any first-class cricket renaissance in New Zealand.

One solution could be to emulate the English system where one-day games - and even the odd Twenty20 match - are tagged to four-dayers.

Some will argue it is too hard for players to adapt between the different formats in such short spaces of time.

The riposte is that it has not adversely affected the England team: Ashes holders and world Twenty20 champions. Logistical savings could also be made through less flights and a minimum of one extra night's accommodation expenses.

Another way to create more of a window for first-class cricket would be to cut the HRV Cup from a month to two or three weeks and include the likes of double-headers. Players would still only be batting a maximum of 40 overs or bowling eight when they are not dashing about the field.

Dion Nash has experienced the problem as a former Black Caps player and selector: "Having your top players in the first class set-up is ideal when you're picking teams. Seeing incumbents versus up-and-comers gives you the perfect litmus test, otherwise you're just making a calculated decision as to what they might be like at the next level.

"The downside is players are involved so much now, they get tired. So if a window comes up, they want to rest for the sake of their welfare.

"It all comes back to scheduling. New Zealand Cricket needs to work at building a clearer domestic programme. To me, it places the one-day game under threat.

"I can envisage an era soon where only first-class and T20 cricket make up the playing landscape. It would lighten the calendar and create the necessary space."

Former New Zealand coach David Trist (1999-2001) also sees the effect of a loaded calendar: "It was hard to know who to make concessions for. A number were tired and others needed cricket. But at least when I had the side, they were all playing first-class matches and tests. Now there's an emphasis on qualifying for T20 tournaments around the world, it's less dovetailed."