Cricket: Spearman likely to open in first test

By RICHARD BOOCK

PAARL - It is a sad fact that, Mark Richardson aside, the next most effective opener in the touring New Zealand team is fixed to the wall in the guest-house bar - and in 38 deg C heat, heaven knows, it is proving more useful.

Whatever mind-benders are facing the tour selectors over the composition of the bowling attack for next week's first test, it must be said that the problems at the top of the batting order have not entirely evaporated.

Only a week into the tour, the decision to bring a middle-order rookie instead of a back-up opener is looking more incongruous by the day, with the struggling Craig Spearman virtually the only option to partner Richardson at Bloemfontein.

As hard as Hamish Marshall fought in the first innings against Boland, it seems doubtful he would be sacrificed against the likes of Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock, while Adam Parore failed to fire and the promotion of Mathew Sinclair would perhaps cause too much disruption through the order.

If poor Spearman has shown anything in recent times it is that he bats better at No 3 or below, yet he appears almost certain to be shunted into the frontline next week, just as he was against the West Indies, Australia and Zimbabwe.

The selection of Marshall apparently included a strong element of development investment and had something to do with the dearth of potential replacements for the injured Matt Horne, who is expected back for the Boxing Day test against Zimbabwe.

For all that, however, what New Zealand need most right now is an option to open the batting, and for the sake of just three tests, someone like Gary Stead (who has a test average of 42.66 against South Africa) would have made a lot more sense.

With the New Zealand test middle order relatively settled, it seems Marshall has been picked with an eye for the future, but at a time when all attention is on a certain event in six days.

Richardson's unbeaten 173 in the first innings against Boland was all the more meritorious for its work ethic, but Spearman was unable to get under way in the first innings, and lifted a drive in the second.

Whether things become any clearer when New Zealand begin their three-dayer against North-West at Potchefstroom tonight is anyone's guess, but the eventual line-up should at least provide a hint of what the selectors are thinking.

The Boland match ended in a draw yesterday following some solid batting from Sinclair and Craig McMillan and some more impressive work from opening bowler Chris Martin.

Sinclair and McMillan both posted half-centuries as New Zealand built a lead of 357 before declaring at 142 for three at tea.

At stumps, Boland were 53 for two.

Although not finding the same penetration, Martin again generated the most pace of the New Zealand bowlers, while Daryl Tuffey looked to be moving a lot more confidently in his second spell.

Martin now seems have the inside running to partner Shayne O'Connor with the new ball at Bloemfontein, leaving Scott Styris to vie with Tuffey for the role of the third seamer.

New Zealand are expected to rest McMillan for the match against North-West. The news on Paul Wiseman remains gloomy, with the offspinner almost certainly out of contention for tonight's game and extremely doubtful for the test match, leaving legspinner Brooke Walker on the brink of a test debut.

In fact, if everything pans out as expected, New Zealand will square off against South Africa with four specialist bowlers, three of whom - Walker, Styris and Martin - have yet to play in a test.

New Zealand (likely): Stephen Fleming (capt), Craig Spearman, Mark Richardson, Mathew Sinclair, Nathan Astle, Adam Parore, Scott Styris, Brooke Walker, Daryl Tuffey, Shayne O'Connor and Chris Martin.