Hadlee optimism high in lead-up to next summer

New Zealand's cricketers who have wintered at home go into a pre-tour camp at Lincoln University this week before flying to Sri Lanka on Saturday for a tri-series with Sri Lanka and India.

Recently in England, Sir Richard Hadlee spoke to CricInfo during the Weekend of Legends at Nottingham. He reflected on a year as New Zealand's chairman of selectors.

"We have a high degree of optimism in our game," Hadlee said. He and his fellow selectors Ross Dykes, Brian McKechnie and coach David Trist, "took the positive step to look to the future with the 2003 World Cup coming up, so we picked four or five players, in effect, from nowhere."

These are the men who will carry the CLEAR Black Cap hopes in Sri Lanka from July 18­ to August 5 in the triangular one-day tournament made up by India.

On his fellow selectors, Hadlee emphasised, "We work well as a panel and we've been severely tested both on and off the field, probably more so in the media with the direction we¹re taking."

The selectors' hands were rather forced in their decisions, for last year 31 players were picked for the Black Caps, but 18 were unavailable, through illness or injury, at some stage or another.

The men pinpointed by Hadlee for their development over the last six months include James Franklin, Daryl Tuffey, Chris Martin, Lou Vincent and Jacob Oram - "all previously unknown players."

"Mark Richardson's been the greatest find," he continued. "We believe that over the next few months, and certainly the next few years, we will get the results that everyone wants."

On captain Stephen Fleming, Hadlee said, "I think he'll come back a better player technically and mentally and that's going to help New Zealand cricket."

"He's had a tough time as a captain and a player. Virtually every game he didn't know what XI he was taking onto the field because of the injury crisis."

"He is the only player in New Zealand who can captain the side. He's got the job for seven or eight or ten years if he wants it."

The downside of English county cricket is the injuries so much play can cause. Chris Cairns, the man Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya most fears in the New Zealand set-up, was due to play for Nottinghamshire this year, before chronic long-term injuries caught up with him. On Dion Nash, who first wrecked his back with Middlesex in the mid-1990s, Hadlee said, " He has a huge effect on the side. We need him back."

Although Hadlee will not be going to Sri Lanka, there is no doubt his increasingly sure influence as a selector will be felt in the improving New Zealand international team.