Opinion Can anyone name the New Zealand XI?

Bharat Sundaresan<br> For someone who plays online fantasy cricket,the build-up to a series involving New Zealand must be traumatic.

February 3, 2009 04:46 PM IST First published on: Feb 3, 2009 at 04:46 PM IST

For someone who plays online fantasy cricket,the build-up to a series involving New Zealand must be traumatic. Not only does it involve guesswork in figuring out the final 14 in the squad,finding the credentials of most of them — excluding perhaps Daniel Vettori and Brendon McCullum — isn’t easy as the emergence new players,and comebacks of cricketers who last played 4-5 years ago,are commonplace. The likes of Craig McMillan,Lou Vincent and James Franklin are always candidates for making leap-year appearances.

New Zealand cricket also throws up interesting characters,who change their vocation frequently. Scott Styris bowled first-change and batted at No. 9 on his ODI debut on a belter of a wicket against India at Rajkot in 1999,but it was his power-hitting that earned him rave reviews in the years to come,and his bowling very soon took a backseat. McCullum,who has ever since made his name as a swashbuckling wicket-keeper batsman,actually started out as an opener in his debut series in Australia during the summer of 2001-02.

In fact,it often seems that opening batsmen are picked by a draw of lots in the Kiwi dressing-room. Jamie How,though never a certainty in the side,has been somewhat of a regular these days,while he has had a number of partners such as Aaron Redmond,Martin Guptill and James Marshall. And whatever happened to the cherubic Michael Papps?

But amidst all the chopping and changing,the Black Caps have somehow managed to command respect from their more flamboyant peers. Ever since their golden generation,which included Richard Hadlee and Martin Crowe,they have neither threatened to make a run for the top,nor have they ever looked like completely disintegrating. The Kiwis still enter every major international tournament as the perennial dark horses,and ensure their entry into the knockout stages before bowing out tamely.

While most of us endearingly reminisce about that great match in Edgbaston,where Allan Donald ran himself out and denied South Africa a much-deserved World Cup final,the other semi-final between New Zealand and Pakistan — or Wajahtullah Wasti’s 84 — has been long forgotten.

One look at that New Zealand side reveals the three categories of cricketers — hard triers,who always play within their limitations; battered and bruised fast-bowlers,who are either returning from injury or are on the verge of breaking down; and finally,a prodigiously talented superstar who never quite realises his potential.

The ’99 team had the likes of Matthew Horne,Roger Twose,Chris Harris and the ‘Postman’ Gavin Larsen,who fitted into the first category. Pacers Dion Nash and Geoff Allot,who missed more than they played,and the enigmatic Chris Cairns,who never really lived up to the hype that surrounded his entry.

The team included another duo,one who was captain and the other who was destined to take over almost from the first time he entered the field. Apart from being the most influential players in the team during their respective eras,Stephen Fleming and Vettori managed to be the only constants among all the chaos around them,and while Fleming enjoyed a lengthy period at the helm,the 30-year-old Vettori looks all set to flourish at the top.

Though the Indian Cricket League (ICL) seemed to create a huge dent in New Zealand cricket by claiming-high profile names such as Shane Bond,Vincent and McMillan,their assembly line of moderately talented,capable young men continues to throw up new players. Tim Southee,Jesse Ryder and Ross Taylor are among a few in the present batch.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s India team,who have brought down all opposition of late,are set to invade Kiwi-land later this month for the first time in seven years. It is unlikely that any of he Indian players will manage to get the New Zealand XI right,but underestimating their abilities should be the last thing on their minds.