Nash not risked for final match
by Geoff Longley
From The Press, January 11, 2000

New Zealand cricket coach David Trist has defended the on-going use of Dion Nash, who misses today's final one-day cricket international against the West Indies at Jade Stadium because of injury.

Nash was withdrawn from the team yesterday and replaced by medium-fast bowler Andrew Penn, from Central Districts.

Trist said Nash had felt capable of carrying on in recent matches of the five-game National Bank one-day series, despite playing in pain from a back injury.

However, in the last one-dayer at Wellington two days ago, Nash was only operating at about 60 per cent efficiency.

"He was unable to bowl with the intensity he would like, was guarded in his follow through, and was continuing to feel pain. Playing him might unnecessarily expose him to further injury," Trist said.

Trist said it was a combination of factors which led to Nash pulling out and he did not feel the management had been unwise in letting Nash play in Wellington when the series was already decided.

"We have constant dialogue with our medical people and Dion was prepared to go on. But in Wellington it was another performance which was frustrating for him and it was agreed by all it was time to draw the line."

Trist said the players - not the product - came first and while the Black Caps wanted to maintain their winning ways it would not be at the expense of players' health.

Trist said although fellow all-rounder Chris Cairns was not operating at 100 per cent he was functioning not much below that with careful management.

Nash will undergo a period of rest and rehabilitation and his fitness will be re-assessed on January 24. He is unlikely to play any Shell Cup matches for Auckland until that time.

"He will continue with his yoga, exercise regime, and gym work, working at his strength and flexibility," Trist said.

Penn's arrival will push him into contention with fellow pace bowler Shayne O'Connor for a place in the playing XI to be decided today.

Penn was one of several candidates the selectors considered along with Canterbury's Warren Wisneski and Auckland's Chris Drum. Penn was a replacement in England and played the first part of the Indian tour, but did not stay on for the one-dayers while Drum did.

O'Connor played in the first two matches of the National Bank series, but was expensive and has been 12th man for the past two games.

Trist said he did not believe that Craig McMillan's place in the side was in jeopardy, despite his struggle for runs.

"He is a long-term player for New Zealand cricket and he will come back. While we don't want players to become complacent about their place in the team they also need to have some security, not feeling that each innings could be their last.

"The last thing we want is uncertainty with players in and out all the time."

About half the team, mainly those who took little part on Sunday, attended an optional training yesterday, while the West Indies did not train.

The visitors, in their last match before leaving New Zealand, face a huge hurdle to lift themselves being 4-0 down in the series.

A despondent captain Brian Lara, whose team had a 90-minute meeting immediately after Sunday's fourth loss, said it looked as though the West Indies were not on the same stage as the Black Caps.

Three relatively straightforward dropped catches when New Zealand batted would have sent morale through the floor.

Despite the dreadful summer weather, Jade stadium curator Chris Lewis is satisfied with the pitch preparation. The ground missed most of Saturday's rain and had a day's drying sun two days ago.

The strip is well grassed and while that may have the seam bowlers' eyes lighting up it generally plays true.

Teams.-

New Zealand: Nathan Astle, Craig Spearman, Stephen Fleming (captain), Roger Twose, Chris Cairns, Craig McMillan, Chris Harris, Adam Parore, Daniel Vettori, Scott Styris, Shayne O'Connor, Andrew Penn.

West Indies (from): Ridley Jacobs, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Brian Lara (captain), Jimmy Adams, Sherwin Campbell, Ricardo Powell, Wavell Hinds, Nehemiah Perry, Dinanath Ramnarine, Mervyn Dillon, Reon King, Courtney Walsh, Franklyn Rose, Pedro Collins, Adrian Griffith.

Umpires: Tony Hill, Evan Watkin. Third umpire: Dave Quested.

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