Nash on track for international comeback
From Stuff, May 30, 2001

Injured all-rounder Dion Nash is poised to return to the New Zealand team for their cricket tour to Sri Lanka in July.

Nash has been declared available for selection by the New Zealand Cricket's medical panel along with other injury-troubled bowlers, spinner Daniel Vettori and left-arm paceman Shayne O'Connor.

The only two who remain on the injured list are Chris Cairns, who is working on rehabilitation after his knee surgery in late February, and fellow all-rounder Scott Styris who is also recovering from knee surgery.

Provided Nash, 29, passes a series of stringent fitness assessments after the team are named on June 14, he should be included.

Nash has completed each phase of the fitness criteria set him so far without a hitch, said NZC's player co-ordinator Gilbert Enoka today.

Enoka said a conservative approach was taken with Nash last season when he returned to domestic cricket. He had come back too soon at the start of the season and broke down in Zimbabwe in September, the latest in a string of lower back injury disruptions to his career.

"We have our fingers crossed with Dion. He wanted to have another shot at things and so far, so good," said Enoka.

"But there will be a series of safeguards and tests to ensure that he would not go on tour without having gone through extensive testing at the High Performance Centre."

Enoka said the Sri Lankan tri-series tour also including India would be a suitable tournament for Nash to return. The one-day matches would limit his bowling workload and there were a limited number of matches with rest days in between.

"Dion said if he can survive seven days in the bush with (New Zealand multisport legend) Steve Gurney on an adventure challenge, which he has just done, he can survive anything," Enoka said.

With fellow all-rounders Cairns and Styris still on the injured list it also enhances Nash's case for selection.

When he was invalided out of the Zimbabwe tour eight months ago after playing the second test, it appeared Nash's international career may have been over.

But showing typical determination, Nash refused to concede and he reappeared in the Shell Cup and Trophy competitions as a batsman before having some short bowling spells in the latter Trophy rounds.

In the first-class arena, Nash scored a handy 452 runs at an average of 30, with one century and two 50s.

Nash has played 31 tests in a career which began in 1992-93, and 72 one-day internationals.

Left-arm spin bowler Vettori is also making pleasing progress in his recovery from lower back trouble which limited his role last season as is O'Connor who missed the second half of last season with a knee injury.

[Articles]