Sinclair keen to make most of early opportunity

Lynn McConnell

December 24, 2002

Mathew Sinclair is as well aware as everyone that his call-up for the New Zealand one-day side was unexpected, but he is determined to grasp the lifeline that has been thrown him for a resumption to his international career.

Sinclair, the only member of the New Zealand squad with two Test double centuries to his name, can also claim two One-Day International centuries in his stop-start 23 game career.

Given the setbacks that had occurred in his game he had set himself a goal of making the World Cup final 15. Now, in Auckland on Thursday, he has the chance to move himself a peg or two up the pecking order.

Selection convener Sir Richard Hadlee said when announcing the team for the first two ODIs after which the World Cup 15 has to be named, that the selectors wanted to look at one or two players.

Sinclair knows he is one of them.

"I know there are positions available. I know it is a case of putting my hand up and taking it. I hope I can provide that opportunity to the New Zealand selectors and the public that I'm the man for the job," he said.

The sight of Sinclair in full and confident flight would be one that most cricket lovers in New Zealand would enjoy because there is no doubt that when he is on his game he can be a highly-attractive batsman to watch.

He said he feels in good form, but the challenge ahead of him is to expose the form for all to see.

"Everyone goes through those stages where you think you're right for the job but you find that you're not. I just wanted to put pressure on the batting order. Now I've been given that opportunity I'm keen to take it. And I think is the perfect time for it.

"The pitch looks good so there is no reason why I shouldn't be able to get out there and do the job.

He has had some reasonable form in matches played so far this year, the result of off-season work with Glenn Turner in Dunedin, and the early exposure to grass pitches as the result of his playing for Blenheim's Celtic club in the Marlborough competition.

"I guess to my detriment I haven't been able to go on and get some big scores, but hopefully I can bring that sort of form into the one-day environment.

"I know that I can do it. These two games are quite crucial. There is definitely a lot of pressure there for myself to perform, and a few others, who have been included in the team as well," he said.

Changing to one-day mode was no problem as he was already doing that in readiness for Central Districts' State Shield campaign.

He's just delighted to be back in the national team environment and determined to get on with the job of gaining a place in the top 12. There's nothing like a little competition to put the pressure on players.

But Sinclair doesn't mind. The pressure he is under with the two-match chance was exactly the same as he would face were he to find himself in South Africa with the World Cup side.

For the record, Sinclair has played 23 ODIs and has scored 572 at 26.00 with two centuries and two half-centuries.

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Mathew Sinclair

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India tour of New Zealand

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