Expect more specialisation from New Zealands one-day team in the future.
Upon announcing the first New Zealand squad for the National Bank Series against South Africa, starting in Auckland on Friday, coach John Bracewell said he wanted to see the sides batsmen concentrating on doing their job properly, and allowing the bowlers to do theirs. This was a shorthand way of sending the message that bits and pieces players who have previously operated under the title of allrounder in New Zealand teams were going to have to change their thinking.
This had been reflected in the side which beat Pakistan 4-1 in their last outing. Seventy-five per cent of New Zealands runs had been hit by the top-order in the series, and it had been a long time since that had happened, he said.
We have to get the batters to operate more effectively so bowlers can concentrate on their job, Bracewell said.
The Australians, the best side in the world, had been the first to revert to specialist players and that had been borne out in their results. That is of immediate consequence to players like Andre Adams and Lou Vincent who were left out of the side.
Asserting that specialist role would be important for New Zealand if they were to contain the strong South African batting unit. Bracewell said they were deservedly ranked No 2 in the world, and on their performances in recent months the batsmen were probably the No 1 batsmen in the world.
The difference to the Australians was that they complemented one another so well. The South Africans struggled with their attack and that was an area New Zealand had to attempt to take advantage of.
We will have to work extra hard to nullify their batters, but they are on our patch and we have just comprehensively beaten the third-ranked side Pakistan so this will be a good test. We dont know whether Pakistan fell over or we got stronger, he said.
New Zealand had got a pattern going during the series, the players had shown greater understanding and there should be no reason why New Zealand shouldnt be able to go into the series confident they could compete.
Bracewell said it was always a hard decision to drop anybody and Craig Cumming, who made way for Michael Papps, had worked very hard, had been a tremendous team man and had made progress on his technique.
Papps had put together the runs and the weight of numbers meant he had deserved his chance. The selectors had been consistent as Cumming had 10 successive games before a change had been made.
It is agreed by everybody that he has the tools for four-day cricket and this year, in particular, his one-day game has evolved to a greater extent. His particular position does not have large numbers stepping forward. Weve been searching and hes top of the class, he said.
Bracewell added that when Nathan Astle returned to the one-day side, whenever that might be, he would be back in the opening role. He was needed there to give an extra dimension to the side during the first 15 overs and a more consistent approach to setting and getting runs. Astle had been happy with that role when the matter was discussed with him.
Bracewell added that Michael Masons inclusion was the result of good efforts he had put in, in Pakistan where he had not had a lot of collective support. He would fit into the sides bowling pattern and because of his steady head during delivery there was the chance he could develop the ability to change his length as he watched batsmen preparing to attack.
Todays rain-affected game, which was changed from a day match to a day-nighter had worked out well for New Zealand because it gave most of the players a chance to experience the effects of the lights at Jade Stadium, before the forthcoming series which involved five day-night games out of the six matches.
The team is: Stephen Fleming (captain), Ian Butler, Chris Cairns, Brendon McCullum, Craig McMillan, Hamish Marshall, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Michael Papps, Scott Styris, Daryl Tuffey, Daniel Vettori, Michael Mason.
YIPPEE!! but i wont c much cause of skool 
