Mene's support provides spur for Nash
From Stuff, June 15, 2001

The support of his partner, Silver Ferns netball captain Bernice Mene, has been an additional spur for Black Caps all-rounder Dion Nash to give his international cricket career one last shot.

Nash was on Thursday named in the 14-man New Zealand team for the one-day tri-series against Sri Lanka and India in Sri Lanka next month.

Nash, 29, has a history of lower-back stress fractures which have plagued his career, the latest last September when he was forced to pull out of the tour of Zimbabwe.

Nash said "it went without saying" that Mene had encouraged him to try again.

Mene knows about the trials and tribulations of sports injury, having to battle on-going knee degeneration, which has threatened her career.

Nash said he "went bush" at the end of last season after playing for Auckland to reassess his future.

"I just felt I needed to get away from it all and think clearly about my future. I decided then it would be remiss not to give things another go."

Since making that decision Nash has been gradually increasing the intensity of his fitness and bowling workloads with few ill effects.

He continues to do the Pilatus exercise regime three times weekly, which works on flexibility along with reinforcing abdominal and back strength. "There is a bit of residual stiffness there but nothing you would not expect.

"If I'm going to be in contention for tours to Pakistan and Australia later this season I need to know what I can do."

If Nash's back cannot withstand the rigours of another campaign he will probably give the game away.

Left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori was another to return after missing the three-test series against Pakistan in March with a recurrence of a similar back problem.

Passed with a clean bill of health by New Zealand Cricket's (NZC) medical panel, both players have been training hard and gradually building up their bowling workload, according to chairman of selectors Sir Richard Hadlee.

Both had previously broken down after making premature comebacks.

"Dion and Daniel have been given a clean bill of health by the medical panel. The selectors will be looking for Dion to contribute as a bowler and a middle order batsman," Hadlee said.

The team were largely predictable aside from the return of Nash and Vettori. The heartening form of Auckland all-rounder Kyle Mills in Sharjah meant there was no place for the hard-working swing bowler Shayne O'Connor who has fully recovered from a knee injury.

Wellington left-armer James Franklin was included to give the pace attack some variation while offspinner Grant Bradburn has won the second spinner's berth ahead of Paul Wiseman.

O'Connor, Chris Nevin, Wiseman, Brooke Walker, and Andre Adams have been placed on stand-by.

With Canterbury pace bowler Chris Martin not mentioned in either group it appears he is now regarded chiefly as a bowler for first-class conditions.

The Black Caps leave for Sri Lanka on July 13, with the first of their six preliminary matches against Sri Lanka in Colombo on July 18.

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

[Articles]