Mark Richardson: Testing times needed

Chris Martin. File photo / Getty Images

Sometimes the most sense comes from the most unlikely sources.

Recently I was putting a story together for Sky Sport's Cricket Show in which I was canvassing the Black Cap's top seven batsmen on how they would make the transition from T20 play to test cricket play with only a week to do so.

I thought I'd also ask the opening bowler what he thought they should be doing. Chris Martin probably does not think too much about his batting but his answer demonstrated just why he is such a consistent and enduring performer.

Martin said that with a week to go, it was probably too late for the batsmen to start preparing for this one-off test against Zimbabwe and that they really should have been honing their test skills in training right throughout the HRV Cup.

He said he'd hoped they had been treating their first 20 balls in the nets like they would the first 20 balls of a test innings - and then branched out into extravagant T20 style preparation from that point.

Wow, if only Chris Martin could bat because that is fine professional thinking.

The top seven, on the whole, have done well enough in this current test but the examination provided by the Zimbabwe bowlers on the McLean Park pitch which had some life in it was not as demanding as all other test nations would provide.

That said, you can only play what is in front of you and our batsmen played well and for the most part played in an appropriate test style. Brendon McCullum showed some fine fight in his innings, Martin Guptill left the ball really well, Ross Taylor was organised, Daniel Vettori typically efficient and BJ Watling very tidy.

At the same time as I gathered those batsmen's thoughts on how they would approach their preparation, I asked them what they considered the highest form of the game. Not surprisingly they all said "test cricket".

So how can they pay that statement respect, given that after this one test they have an intensive month of T20 and ODI cricket before the daunting challenge of three tests against South Africa arrive? Surely if the test game is that prestigious then you want to ensure you are ready come March 7 to give yourself the best chance of success against Dale Steyn and co.

I'd imagine McCullum, Guptill, Kane Williamson, Taylor (if fit) and Dean Brownlie will be involved in the T20s and ODIs.

But four days between the last ODI and the first test is not a lot of time. If New Zealand Cricket care about test performance, I challenge all concerned to find the time over the next six weeks to factor a little leaving of the ball - among the reverse sweeping, paddling, cow corner slogging, charging, and ramping come training time.