Cricket: Doubts over Bell delay team

By Richard Boock

CHRISTCHURCH - Doubts over the fitness of Matthew Bell are thought to be behind yesterday's decision to delay naming the New Zealand cricket team for the second test against South Africa.

The national selectors were initially scheduled to announce the side yesterday afternoon but will instead monitor today's developments in the tour match between New Zealand A and South Africa at Lincoln before making an announcement this evening.

No one would confirm it yesterday, but it appears Bell's mystery virus - first contracted in Kuala Lumpur more than six months ago - could rule him out of the second Bank of New Zealand test at Lancaster Park, starting Thursday.

The rookie Kiwi opening batsman underwent tests late last week and will visit a specialist today after falling ill during the first test at Eden Park, eventually missing more than a day's play and being forced to bat at No 7 in the first innings.

His condition has further complicated the task of the selection panel, which is already charged with filling the gaps left by Chris Cairns, Craig McMillan and (probably) Stephen Fleming.

It seemed for a time that the notion of opening with Bryan Young and using Bell in the middle-order was one of the more favoured selectorial options, particularly as it involved minimal disruption to the line-up.

But fresh doubts over Bell mean the selectors may well have to bring in two new batsmen, one to replace Bell at the top, and the other to replace McMillan in the middle order.

Young seems to have the inside running for the opener's slot, and looked comfortable yesterday while making 36 at Lincoln, but who will be asked to shore up the middle order has become a shade more difficult to predict.

The selectors could gamble on Fleming's fitness and rush him back on the basis of his international record, but it seems more likely that they will choose between Mark Bailey and Mathew Sinclair, depending on who shows the better form in New Zealand A's second innings today.

Neither was able to shine during the A team's first innings total of 276 for nine declared - Sinclair making 14 in 82 minutes and Bailey adjudged caught for 0 after being struck on the elbow - although left-arm swing-bowler Shayne O'Connor made the most of his opportunities yesterday.

Widely tipped to be included in the second test squad, probably at the expense of Matthew Hart, O'Connor single-handedly reduced the tourists to 98 for four in their second innings last night, taking all four wickets.

Reaping the benefits of a much tighter line, the Otago left-armer clean-bowled both Herschelle Gibbs and Hansie Cronje, and in the 17th over trapped Dale Benkenstein and Daryll Cullinan in front off consecutive deliveries.

A bowler with an ever-blossoming reputation for getting rid of class batsmen, O'Connor was using his in-swinger as his stock delivery, and his straight one as a variation.

"I was very disappointed with the way I bowled in the first innings," he said after stumps last night. "I think I was trying to bowl too many wicket balls, starting the thing off too wide and asking it to do too much.

"Today I was determined to bowl a lot straighter, and to simply allow the ball to do its thing off a much tighter line - and it seemed to work far better."

Pictured: Matthew Bell