Stewart rates Astle, Fleming (26 Sep 1998)
England cricket captain Alex Stewart has rated Stephen Fleming and Nathan Astle as New Zealand's biggest hopes for the World Cup next year
26-Sep-1998
26 September 1998
Stewart rates Astle, Fleming
The Christchurch Press
England cricket captain Alex Stewart has rated Stephen Fleming and
Nathan Astle as New Zealand's biggest hopes for the World Cup next
year.
The $US1 million ($NZ2.04 million) tournament opens on May 17 and New
Zealand's first game is against Bangladesh at Chelmsford.
Stewart said that New Zealand would have to adapt to the different
pitches and grounds it would play on in the tournament.
"But Nathan Astle is an exceptional one-day player and he is coming to
terms with test cricket. I have been impressed with Stephen Fleming
since he came in and took over the side.
"Daniel Vettori also has a good future in test cricket."
Stewart said New Zealand was highly regarded in the world one-day
arena and Chris Cairns was always a threat on the days he got going
with the bat.
Meanwhile, pace bowler Simon Doull returns to the New Zealand cricket
team for its next assignment, an international knock-out event in
Bangladesh next month. Doull, who has regained fitness after a groin
strain kept him from Commonwealth Games team selection, replaces
fellow medium-fast bowler Chris Drum, who is now on the injured list.
National selection panel convener Ross Dykes said Drum's injury, while
minor, was the result of an incorrect element in his bowling action.
"We felt it prudent to give him time to recuperate from the injury and
work on correcting the problem with his action."
Doull's inclusion is subject to passing a fitness test prior to the
team's departure.
Still on the unavailable list recovering from injury are Dion Nash
(back), Cairns (knee), Llorne Howell (shoulder), and Gavin Larsen
(back).
The team leaves for Dhaka on October 11 with build-up matches in
Sydney before its first game, against Zimbabwe, on October 24.
New Zealand squad:
Stephen Fleming (captain), Geoff Allott, Nathan Astle, Chris Harris,
Craig McMillan (Canterbury); Mark Bailey, Simon Doull, Alex Tait,
Daniel Vettori (Northern Districts); Matthew Bell (Wellington);
Matthew Horne, Paul Wiseman, Shayne O'Connor (Otago); Adam Parore
(Auckland).
Source :: The Christchurch Press (https://www.press.co.nz/)