Sharjah successes likely to be rewarded for Sri Lankan tour

Good performances on New Zealand's unscheduled end of season tour to the Sharjah Trophy tournament in April look like being rewarded for Mathew Sinclair, Kyle Mills and Grant Bradburn.

The New Zealand team to compete in a Sri Lankan tri-series with India and Sri Lanka next month will be named on Thursday and the side is likely to reflect the results of the experimentation forced on the New Zealand selectors with the injury problems of last summer.

It is also likely to show the move towards reliance on more one-day specialists and the further development of a rotation system among bowlers.

There will be some casualties from the past season but also some consolidation from players given their chance, and who took it.

Into this category must come Lou Vincent and Jacob Oram. Vincent's development in the lower middle-order will allow Craig McMillan a step up in the order to fill the gap left by the unavailable, and presumably retired Roger Twose.

The return to duty of left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori is almost certainly a given after his good progress in rehabilitating his back injury and increasing his work load. The fact the tour will be a solid diet of top-class international one-day play makes the opportunity almost too good to be true as Vettori contemplates a busy summer for New Zealand.

With the slower pitches meaning a heavy reliance on slower bowlers, Chris Harris is assured of one spot while the other appears to be a continuation of the battle for off spin favour between Bradburn, who gained the initiative last summer, and Paul Wiseman.

Given the punt taken on Bradburn at the end of the summer it is hard to see the selectors suddenly changing course again.

Equally, the outstanding form shown by Sinclair in Sharjah with his two centuries and a 60 in four innings will see him taken on the tour to further develop his role as an opener and with Adam Parore continuing to be unchallenged as the No 1 wicket-keeper there will be no room for Chris Nevin.

Such was Daryl Tuffey's advance last season that he will be the first chosen of the faster bowlers and Mills' ability to not only provide fine bowling support but also to lengthen the tail of the batting will see him included as well.

No secret has been made of the respect Dion Nash enjoys for his competitive attitude. He is reportedly back in good shape after also suffering from horrendous back problems. The one-day series offers an ideal chance to assess his ability to cope with international workloads and he will be another given a very close look.

James Franklin took some stick in Sharjah but after a busy first season of international play that was always to be expected. He's had time to get some rest while also absorbing some lessons. As a player with a genuine future in the New Zealand scheme of things he can also expect another overseas trip.

The interesting thing about the selection is the players who haven't featured but who must remain in prospect for the tour to Pakistan.

Matt Horne, Mark Richardson and Matthew Bell are three openers who must be in prospect for the Pakistan series while the bowling prospects of Shayne O'Connor, Chris Martin and Scott Styris must increase.

That's not to forget the continuation of Chris Cairns' recovery. While not fit enough to be considered for the Sri Lankan series, he must be more of a prospect for the Pakistan tour which will open with one-day games and then two Test matches. Coming right before New Zealand's tour of Australia, that will be a crucial time for Cairns in his bid to be back at full fitness.

The team for Sri Lanka could be: Stephen Fleming (captain), Nathan Astle, Mathew Sinclair, Craig McMillan, Lou Vincent, Jacob Oram, Chris Harris, Adam Parore, Daniel Vettori, Kyle Mills, Daryl Tuffey, Dion Nash, Grant Bradburn, James Franklin.