Emerging players put pressure on Harris for World Cup berth

Lynn McConnell

December 31, 2002

Unlikely as it might have seemed a month ago, the player who may be under most threat of missing out on the New Zealand team for the World Cup is Chris Harris.

The most experienced player in New Zealand's One-Day International history, Harris has played most matches 216, and scored 3955 runs with a strike rate of 67 while he has also taken 192 wickets with an economy rate of 4.31.

An outstanding servant of the game, Harris has fashioned a superb record and has become known as a reliable performer under duress with many outstanding innings in the latter stages of New Zealand batting efforts.

As legendary figures go in New Zealand ODI cricket, Harris is near the top of the pole.

No-one has played more matches, taken more wickets or taken more catches than the 87 he has held. And probably no-one has made more run outs or saved more runs.

But the quandary the New Zealand selectors face is the advance of several other all-rounders, with whom he is in competition for a place. Scott Styris and Kyle Mills are the obvious contenders because Jacob Oram has leap-frogged them both to claim his place in emphatic fashion over the last week. The call-up of Michael Mason as a replacement for Shane Bond is another indication of a possible line the selectors are taking.

At best, Harris may be in the side but more of a bit player, dependent on conditions, for his opportunity than has been the case in the past.

And if the selectors have been watching Harris closely in State Shield, they will have noted he was out for a duck and had 34 runs hit from his six overs in the first match and did better with 45 off 75 balls and two for 29 off 10 in the second game.

Mills had a second chance for New Zealand in their second ODI at Napier. Styris was also out for a duck in Northern Districts' match against Auckland while bowling he conceded only seven runs from his first seven overs. Then in ND's game against Canterbury he scored the match-winning 91 off 105 balls to secure his place.

Pressure has clearly been on Craig McMillan to do better than in the last few months, but he scored a century in Pakistan and had two scores of 83 and 69 in the West Indies so as an incumbent he has experience and performance on his side.

For the rest however, the side picks itself.

It seems Stephen Fleming and Nathan Astle will open the innings. Mathew Sinclair has taken his chances at No 3. McMillan will be at No 4 with Lou Vincent at No 5 and Chris Cairns at No 6 should he prove to be fit. Oram shapes at No 7 and Brendon McCullum at No 8. That leaves room for Daniel Vettori, Daryl Tuffey and Bond in the 11 of preference. Missing are Andre Adams and Styris who are likely to be in the touring party. Either one of them could replace Sinclair or Vincent depending on the preferences for matches. So that leaves two more spots to be filled. Fighting for them are Harris, Paul Hitchcock, Mills and now, it seems, Mason.

Whether the selectors see the necessity for both Harris and Hitchcock will determine Mills' fate, with Mason the genuine outsider.

That is how close the call is going to be for the selectors.

It is difficult to see anyone coming from outside this group of players but there has rarely been a World Cup selection without one surprise in it.

This could be the World Cup side: Stephen Fleming (captain), Nathan Astle, Mathew Sinclair, Craig McMillan, Lou Vincent, Chris Cairns, Jacob Oram, Brendon McCullum, Andre Adams, Scott Styris, Daniel Vettori, Daryl Tuffey, Shane Bond, Chris Harris, Paul Hitchcock.

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