Cricket: Tuffey good bet to play in test

By RICHARD BOOCK

POTCHEFSTROOM - Daryl Tuffey may have done just enough to secure a place in the New Zealand line-up for the first test against South Africa, starting on Friday.

The strapping Northern Districts' paceman generated reasonable pace during New Zealand's runaway 265-run win over North-West yesterday and appears to be on the brink of being recalled for the test match in Bloemfontein.

At the front of New Zealand's mind as they ponder their test line-up is the thought that they have somehow to bowl South Africa out twice at Goodyear Park, and it is perhaps felt that Tuffey offers more penetration than a bowler such as Scott Styris.

While New Zealand's batting problems have somewhat eased now that the top six have all scored 50 or more in the two warm-up games, the balance of the bowling attack continues to be the main talking point of a tour which has already seen the demise of Daniel Vettori, Chris Cairns, Dion Nash and Paul Wiseman.

Coach David Trist stopped short of suggesting Tuffey would definitely make the line-up, but he emphasised the need for attacking bowlers in the tests, and the fact that only one place in the side remained vacant.

"There's just the one place up for grabs," Trist said. "The question's got to be 'is it Styris or one of the other bowlers, and what are our reasons?'

"To my mind the balance of the side is not ideal. It it seems we really need strike-bowlers and Scott's a batting allrounder, so I'm not sure that's going to get his nose in front."

New Zealand cantered to an easy win just after lunch on the third day of the match against North-West, leaving Trist distinctly unimpressed by the calibre of the opposition and the lack of intensity in a game which was supposed to be a dress-rehearsal for the test.

The hosts were bundled out for 100 in the first innings and 157 in the second, with Shayne O'Connor wrapping up the match with three quick wickets to end with five for 51.

Of the pace attack, O'Connor, Tuffey and Chris Martin seemed too quick for most of the local batsmen, while leg-spinner Brooke Walker was hardly required, such was the capitulation.

"I would have preferred a better opposition than we saw in this match because I think the intensity of a warm-up game needs to be relatively close to that of a test match," Trist said. "They were simply disappointing and I'm sure they would have been disappointed themselves.

"It certainly hasn't made our preparation any easier, but having said that, I do believe it was a better performance from us."

With that in mind, Trist told his players yesterday that it was imperative that the next three days of practice be used to maximum advantage in order to come up to speed for the Proteas.

He said that one of the biggest concerns with his bowlers - Shayne O'Connor aside - was the fact that they bowled impressively at times without being able to sustain their performance.

Tuffey was lively and direct most of the time, but was still guilty of straying with a couple of balls every over, Chris Martin has run hot and cold in his two tour games so far, while Styris sometimes loses his direction as he searches for an extra metre of pace.

"We really have to sustain our performance rather than having just one good spell," Trist said. "'We're satisfied with today's result, but we really need to apply ourselves diligently over the next few days."

Possible test side (in batting order): Mark Richardson, Craig Spearman, Mathew Sinclair, Stephen Fleming, Nathan Astle, Craig McMillan, Adam Parore, Brooke Walker, Daryl Tuffey, Shayne O'Connor and Chris Martin.