Cricket: Fleming's belief in his team rides high

By RICHARD BOOCK

If Stephen Fleming feels a trifle apprehensive about the ability of his Singapore-bound New Zealand team, he is not showing it yet.

After the unexpected bonus of an old-fashioned off-season, the New Zealand cricket captain is bubbling with optimism over this summer's prospects, and rates his side a decent chance in the upcoming triangular tournament in Singapore.

The 13-strong New Zealand squad will fly to Brisbane on Saturday for two practice matches against a Queensland selection before continuing on to Singapore and the one-day internationals against Pakistan and South Africa.

New Zealand will then effectively play non-stop cricket for the next nine months, with tours to Zimbabwe, Kenya and South Africa, followed by home series against Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and a tour next year to the West Indies.

The New Zealand one-day squad for Singapore appear relatively settled in terms of batting, but some serious questions hover over the consistency of the bowling attack, and particularly the containing abilities of the frontline seamers.

Of the five main pace options, injured World Cup hero Geoff Allott has been out of cricket for a year, Daryl Tuffey is untried at one-day international level, while Shayne O'Connor managed to end last summer's international commitments with an economy rate of just over eight an over.

Fleming, who yesterday confirmed his transfer from Canterbury to Wellington, said he believed the attack provided plenty of options and could be useful in the conditions.

"Apart from Daryl Tuffey, everyone's had a fair bit of limited-over experience, so there's a steadiness to the attack," he said. "It will be difficult playing against teams who have been on the go all year, but I'm confident the guys will acquit themselves well.

"It's immensely exciting to have Geoff [Allott] back in the lineup, and I know Shayne O'Connor has been making big strides in the off-season, so I'm feeling positive about our chances in Singapore, and in the summer ahead."

New Zealand's tour of Zimbabwe remains on track despite the civil strife in the country, while the subsequent mini-World Cup tournament in Nairobi will provide a fascinating measure of the side's progress, as will the following tour of South Africa.

Fleming said it was an interesting time for New Zealand cricket, with the national team ranked as high as they ever had been, a new selection panel bringing in fresh ideas and concepts, and a strong international programme on the horizon.

New convener Sir Richard Hadlee brought invaluable experience and knowledge to the panel and had already raised several valid issues, including the question of whether the captain should be promoted to the troublesome No 3 spot.

"It's one option in a situation where there are several," Fleming said of the No 3 question. "I could go up there, but then again, with Mark Richardson in the side and more competition for top-order places, maybe it's better if I stay where I am.

"These are the things we have to work out, but everything's an option at this stage. We wouldn't rule anything out."

The Queensland XI to help New Zealand to prepare for the Singapore tournament will be captained by former Australia one-day batsman Jimmy Maher, and include test bowler Scott Muller, six players who contested last summer's PuraMilk Cup (Sheffield Shield) and a cluster of youth and academy representatives.