Cricket: Jamie How tweaks his skills

For a player, it could be the difference between receiving a boarding pass to the 2007 cricket World Cup, or watching the drama unfold in the Caribbean from their couch.

With competition heating up for Black Caps places as the countdown begins to one-day cricket's showpiece event in 13 months, the ability of a player to offer a varied arsenal could sway the selectors when finalising their squad.

While Jamie How stresses his focus during his fledging career is purely on the next game, the opener who's made a relatively seamless introduction to international cricket with two half-centuries from six matches has put his hand up to bowl.

The ability to offer captain Stephen Fleming another bowling option could become crucial as How, Lou Vincent and Nathan Astle seem destined to scrap for the openers' positions.

Coach John Bracewell has identified How as a potential spinner with the World Cup in mind, as slow bowlers are expected to prosper on Caribbean pitches notorious for dying during the second innings.

In Christchurch yesterday with the Black Caps looking to seal the five-match one-day series against the West Indies on Saturday, How told NZPA that instead of just hitting the ball, he also badly wants to bowl it.

"Since the (New Zealand) academy I've really put my focus into it and seen it as a really viable option and looked at it as an extra string to my bow," How said.

"That would have been six years ago. It's been a serious part of my game for a while now. I'm the first to admit I've got a lot of areas to work on in the spin bowling department, but it can only benefit my game and hopefully the team."

However before he's ready to bounce into the crease, How has to overcome a left knee patella tendon injury.

It's not his landing leg, but it causes grief upon delivery and could also have repercussions for his batting as How concentrates on advancing his brief international career.

His first class bowling statistics of 16 wickets at an average of 49.31 from 45 first-class matches wouldn't have batsmen quivering in their pads. But How is keen to translate his batting application to the wizardry of spin, and having a former test offspinner in Bracewell as a mentor can only help.

"It's been sore throughout the winter," How said of his knee.

"I spent a season in Holland and throughout the A tour to Sri Lanka and it's been a bit niggly. I bowled a few overs for Central Districts early in the championship round and that seemed to flare it up a bit and that's why I haven't been bowling.

"It's frustrating because it's an area of my game I really want to develop and there's been opportunities throughout the domestic season where I could have been bowling. But unfortunately with trying to get this knee right the best thing at this stage is rest and recovery and bowling seems to flare it up again, so I'm working hard so I get back to the bowling crease soon."

Yesterday the Black Caps enlarged their squad for Saturday's game, with Kyle Mills added as cover for paceman Michael Mason, who was still feeling the effects of the side and lower back strain which has pestered him during the domestic season.

Mills was the only change to the squad that has recorded an 81-run win and three wicket victory over the tourists so far.

Mills has been one of the most reliable Black Caps performers this season, but a groin strain sustained during last month's Sri Lankan series has kept him out of action until this week when he fronted for Auckland in their State Championship match against Otago.

He warmed up well for his return, taking six for 91 off 21 overs in Otago's first innings and two for 30 in the second, but failed with the bat making a duck and four as Auckland lost by six wickets.

In the West Indian camp, allrounder Dwayne Bravo was unlikely to feature in Saturday's game due to a side strain.

SQUADS:

New Zealand: Stephen Fleming (captain), Lou Vincent, Jamie How, Nathan Astle, Scott Styris, Peter Fulton, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori, James Franklin, Kyle Mills, Shane Bond, Michael Mason, Jeetan Patel.

West Indies: Shivnarine Chanderpaul (captain), Chris Gayle, Daren Ganga, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Runako Morton, Wavell Hinds, Dwayne Smith, Denesh Ramdin, Ian Bradshaw, Jerome Taylor, Fidel Edwards, Rawl Lewis, Deighton Butler.

- NZPA