Nash returns to action
From Stuff/NZPA
July 20, 2001

COLOMBO: Allrounder Dion Nash returns to international cricket action today with team management convinced he is ready to front up against India in the second match of the Coca Cola Cup one-day tri-series.

Nash's return to the side after a 10-month break from international duty because of a back injury is the only change to the line-up beaten by 16 runs by Sri Lanka on Wednesday.

He replaces Jacob Oram and is expected to bowl his full allocation of overs if required by captain Stephen Fleming.

Nash last played on the tour of Zimbabwe when the latest of a well-documented series of back injuries again threatened to curtail his career.

While coach David Trist emphasised Oram had done nothing wrong, Nash was always targeted to make his return against India.

"We're convinced he's ready now, he's done all the work," Trist told NZPA.

The combative Nash is promised a tough reintroduction to the international arena at Premadasa Stadium with the John Wright-coached Indian side high in confidence despite missing master batsman Sachin Tendulkar.

Although New Zealand beat India in their last meeting, to win the ICC Knockout Trophy in Kenya last October, Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly was confident despite fielding a young side where only he and Rahul Dravid had played more than 100 games.

"We've been playing well in the last 10 months, we've won about 70 per cent of our games," Ganguly said.

The match is Wright's first against his homeland as Indian coach - not that he attached any great significance to the clash.

"It's really just another game to be honest. We're playing five or six countries before Christmas, it's just another team and we want to play to our potential," Wright said.

Trist, who played club cricket against Wright in Christchurch in the 1970s, also read little into the fact one of New Zealand's favourite cricketers was coaching the enemy.

"It's irrevelant and we won't be using it as motivation. It's a game and the focus has been on improving our performance."

The match is set to go ahead after a semblance of calm return to the capital following violent anti-government demonstrations raised fears for the New Zealand and Indian teams' safety yesterday.

Both teams were advised to cut short practice sessions after fighting broke out near the match venue.

At least two people were killed and scores injured when security forces used tear gas and rubber bullets to quash demonstrations by opponents of the ruling People's Alliance party.

The New Zealand players witnessed the fighting on the way back to their hotel but were never in danger, Trist said.

"We were about 30 metres away from where tear gas shells were being fired and exploding. We were pretty close to the action but at no stage was their any anxiety.

"Tear gas shells are not going to blow up buses."

Security protecting the team kept management regularly updated, and Trist said the team was confident they were safe.

He was more concerned about limiting the number of no balls and wides gifted by his bowlers, a telling factor in their defeat on Wednesday, and the need to play opposition's spin attack more adventurously.

New Zealand were bogged down in the middle stages of their run chase against Sri Lanka as Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumar Dharmasena and Sanath Jayasuriya delivered 30 accurate overs for just 97 runs.

While the sweep shot was the favoured means of nullifying the slow attack, Trist said the New Zealanders could not afford to be one-dimensional and may need to chance their arm by using their feet more.

India will finalise their lineup shortly before the start of play with a decision over who will partner Ganguly at the top of the order the only issue to be resolved.

New Zealand: Mathew Sinclair, Nathan Astle, Stephen Fleming (captain), Craig McMillan, Lou Vincent, Chris Harris, Adam Parore, Dion Nash, Daniel Vettori, Kyle Mills, Daryl Tuffey, James Franklin (12th man).

India: (from) Sourav Ganguly (captain), Amay Khurasiya, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Hemang Bandani, Virender Singh, Sameer Dighe, Reetinder Sodhi, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Yuverat Singh, Rahul Sanghvi.

[Articles]