Interesting questions lie ahead for New Zealand’s tour selectors in the lead up to the second Test starting in Hobart in nine days time

Lynn McConnell13-Nov-2001Interesting questions lie ahead for New Zealand’s tour selectors in the lead up to the second Test starting in Hobart in nine days time.Chief among them is the nature of New Zealand’s bowling line-up now that Dion Nash has returned home with an abdominal strain, and with Shayne O’Connor needing to pass a fitness test before he can be considered second Test.The game with South Australia promises a fascinating contest between Daryl Tuffey, Chris Martin and new bowler to the tour Shane Bond.The Adelaide Oval has tested the best bowlers in the world over the years and it will sorely test which of the New Zealanders are likely to force their way into the Test attack.Bond’s call-up is interesting.He returned to first-class cricket last year after injury, having conceded ground in the pecking order to international selection.However, his call-up to a place on the New Zealand A tour of India rocketed him into the selection eye, especially with selector Ross Dykes managing the team on the tour.Bond managed to find pace and disconcerting bounce on unhelpful Indian pitches, and emerged as the fastest bowler in the country.By contrast, Tuffey and Martin, were outstanding contributors to New Zealand last summer after being thrown into international cricket when an injury epidemic threatened to scuttle the Kiwi ship.They knew that the return of Chris Cairns and Nash had the potential to reduce their opportunities. They also knew that they were only an injury away from regaining their places.They now have the opportunity to put their own case to the selection panel.Similarly, Lou Vincent knew he was likely to have to sit out the early stages of the tour as the preferred incumbents had their chances. South Australia, his old stamping ground, represents a rare chance to put his claims to the panel.His selection was seen as a reminder to the middle-order that there was competition waiting in the wings. Of those players Mathew Sinclair must be starting to feel the heat, although he too, will probably have a chance against South Australia to re-state his case.While there was an element of one-day cricket to the last day of the Test match, there were some points that would have clarified aspects of the New Zealand team chosen for this tour.Mark Richardson, especially, showed in the second innings the sort of combative approach that has quickly made him an ideal opener in an area that has long been the problem for New Zealand.The superb Australian bowling in the first innings when Jason Gillespie got among the New Zealand top order created all manner of uncertainty.But Richardson showed splendid application under similar pressure in the second innings, and revealed the capacity for quick learning that has marked the latter part of his career. Some outstanding battles for his wicket are looming during the remainder of the series.The other factor to emerge from Richardson’s approach was his ability to score in a manner that would have been applicable to a One-Day International.Richardson has said he wants to play ODIs but has not been regarded as a contender. Monday’s batting will have done nothing to diminish his chances of fulfilling his Otago coach Glenn Turner’s belief that he is well capable of footing it in the ODI arena.Nathan Astle overcame the bogey that has been the blot on his international record, although there is still plenty of time to make a more significant statement while Stephen Fleming also used the last innings run chase as the grounds for making a statement of his own.And while Australia basked in making the running in the Test match by courtesy of its commanding first innings, it shouldn’t be forgotten that it was fortunate to receive the benefit of yet another dubious umpiring decision that will live in the trans-Tasman halls of cricket infamy.They are clearly a formidable side but New Zealand proved a burr under their saddle more irritating than they might previously have expected on Monday.If they didn’t win more respect from Australians they certainly boosted their own standing in New Zealand.