Cricket: Kiwi captain needs to find form

By Richard Boock and NZPA

Time is running out for New Zealand cricket captain Stephen Fleming to rediscover his best batting form in time to influence the decisive fourth cricket test at the Oval.

New Zealand yesterday lost their first county game on tour after being beaten by Middlesex in a virtually meaningless one-dayer in London, and have only the final test match to play following a four-day game against Essex.

The only semblance of use the Kiwis might have gained from yesterday's one-day game was the chance for Fleming to play a longish innings, but despite the batting order being arranged to suit this purpose, he failed to settle in and scored just 13.

Try as he might, the Kiwi skipper has struggled to bounce back from last summer's groin strain injury and is in danger of ending this tour with the worst stretch of form in his international career.

Since returning to the international scene for the one-dayer against South Africa in Napier last summer, Fleming has played 17 international innings (12 one-day knocks and five in tests) and has only once exceeded 50.

Although his non-international first-class tour average is hovering around 56.00, he has scored only 257 one-day international runs at 23.00 and 96 test runs at 24.00.

Coach Steve Rixon changed the New Zealand batting line-up yesterday to allow certain players the opportunity to spend time at the crease, most notably Roger Twose, Adam Parore, Fleming and Chris Cairns.

Parore, opening the batting with Twose, was a partial success in scoring 20 but Fleming, Twose (7) and Cairns (2) failed to take full advantage.

Rixon, perplexed by the timing of yesterday's limited-overs match, described the 39-run loss to Middlesex as irrelevant in the build-up to the all-important final test match, which starts on Thursday night (NZ time).

"It was disappointing but it's not a significant factor leading into the test match because really, we shouldn't be playing these one-dayers at this point," Rixon said.

"It would be my recommendation that this doesn't happen in future tours because they are insignificant in terms of a test match."

One consolation from the match had been the opportunity to give rookie Auckland legspinner Brooke Walker and back-up wicketkeeper Martin Croy an opportunity to perform. Their appearances on tour have been few.

"For someone like Brooke Walker, a young kid who's on a learning curve over here, it's an opportunity for him to bowl out his overs and it's in the best interests of New Zealand cricket," Rixon said.

Rixon confirmed that those rested yesterday - Matthew Bell, Matt Horne, Nathan Astle, Dion Nash and Geoff Allott - were all certainties for the final test.

Central Districts' Andrew Penn again proved a more than useful replacement when he took four wickets for 54 off his 10 overs as Middlesex reached 239 for eight.

England batsman Mark Ramprakash hit a polished 85 for Middlesex, while the New Zealanders adding to their opponents' cause by bowling a disappointing 20 wides and 12 no balls.

Called into the team from minor league duties with a London club to replace the injured Simon Doull, Penn completed a handy double when he scored 39 to be New Zealand's second-highest scorer.

Craig McMillan continued his run of form with an enterprising 42 to head New Zealand's scoreboard. He was out attempting to increase the tempo.

New Zealand were bowled out for 200 in 46.5 overs in the chase for 240.