Cricket: Victorious players have last laugh

By Richard Boock

WELLINGTON - Just when New Zealand cricket team jokes were scaling new heights, the players turned up and spoilt all the fun by winning - again.

The country's most popular punching bag since Trevor Chappell not only registered New Zealand's 40th test win at the Basin Reserve yesterday (and the 12th of the nineties), they also extended their winning stretch at home to an unprecedented five tests, and an equally unprecedented fourth of the year.

Often maligned because of their ordinary record abroad in recent seasons, Steve Rixon's Kiwis have nevertheless impressed at home, winning two tests each against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe before yesterday's four-wicket win over India.

Rixon, who was in charge when New Zealand beat Pakistan in Lahore in 1996-97, has now overseen seven test wins from 17 matches since replacing Glenn Turner, more than any other Kiwi cricket coach.

New Zealand's win over India was also captain Stephen Fleming's sixth (from 13), which lifts him clear of Jeremy Coney (five from 15) as the second-most successful test captain behind Geoff Howarth - who racked up 11 from 30 in the Hadlee-dominated era.

Rixon said afterwards he had even made a few changes to his own technique during the test.

"I've tried to stay relaxed, a little more relaxed anyway," he said immediately after the test. "It's not great for the team if you get too worked up so I've been trying to look calm."

Rixon said if he was forced to pick the most gratifying aspect of yesterday's win, it would have to be the fighting qualities the team demonstrated in eventually securing the result.

Twose recalled

Roger Twose received his second recall to the New Zealand team within two summers when he was drafted into the side for the third test against India, beginning in Hamilton on Saturday.

The 30-year-old Twose, on Shell Cup duty for Wellington in Alexandra yesterday, will bat in the middle-order instead of Nathan Astle, who had a bone in his left hand broken during the second test in Wellington on Tuesday.

The last time Twose played for New Zealand was in the third test against Australia at Hobart, after he was brought into the side to replace Blair Pocock.

He made two and 29 in his eighth test, and might have wondered whether there would be another.

However, his form has been reasonable in the recent Conference series, and he made 99 for Wellington against an Indian attack which included Javagal Srinath and Anil Kumble, as well as runs in the first two rounds of the Shell Cup.

Convener of selectors Ross Dykes said yesterday his panel wasn't prepared to tamper with the batting order, explaining why other contenders such as Chris Harris and Craig Spearman were not picked.

Dykes said the panel would not commit itself on who would replace Astle in New Zealand's five one-dayers against India until after the third test in Hamilton, although he did say Matt Horne would definitely remain as one of the opening batsmen.