Nash's tour appearances to be limited
From Stuff, July 12, 2001

New Zealand fast bowler Dion Nash may only play half the games if New Zealand go all the way in the Sri Lanka one-day cricket tournament, selector Sir Richard Hadlee said today.

New Zealand leave for Sri Lanka tomorrow for a limited overs series against the host nation and India.

Nash, 29, is back in the team after being sidelined with injury for much of the last summer.

He has a history of lower-back stress fractures which has plagued his career. Last September he was forced to pull out of the tour of Zimbabwe.

Chairman of selectors Hadlee said Nash's appearances would be controlled and limited in a tournament which could include seven matches if New Zealand reached the final.

"Dion is fit. He has done all that has been asked by the medical panel and the selectors," Hadlee told NZPA.

"Common sense suggests it would be rather foolish to permit him to play in all games.

"The plan of attack would be to play in the first practice game and probably in three or four of the major games and just monitor his progress. We don't want to put him in a stressful situation."

Hadlee said Nash would not be over-worked and may only bowl six, seven or eight of his allotted 10 overs per game.

Nash is likely to bowl first change and possibly all his overs in one spell in the tournament, in which New Zealand play their first match next Wednesday against Sri Lanka.

"But very clearly he has to be managed. It is absolutely common sense because he is so important to the side.

"He needs to know in his own mind where he is at after this tour and we need to know as far as our planning is concerned, and it is an ideal opportunity.

"We want to win the tournament but we want him to come through well because we want him for future tours."

A recent two-year University of Otago study found that New Zealand bowlers were often under-prepared or under-bowled going into matches.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) staff member Warren Frost will monitor the New Zealand bowlers this year and research on bowler-injury problems will continue.

New Zealand experienced a shocking run of injuries last summer when most of their bowlers, including Chris Cairns, Shayne O'Connor, Scott Styris, Daniel Vettori, Nash and Geoff Allott, who retired, spent varying amounts of time on the sidelines.

Hadlee said Cairns was running again and would begin light bowling at the end of this month.

"He is doing the work that is required and he is making progress."

[Articles]