Bulfin gets shot at international arena (23 March 1999)

23 March 1999

Bulfin gets shot at international arena

Geoff Longley in Wellington

Blenheim speedster Carl Bulfin hopes to draw inspiration from successful South African substitute Steve Elworthy for his New Zealand one-day cricket team debut at Napier on Thursday.

Bulfin, 25, is the new cap in the team that was named yesterday by the national selectors for the fourth game in the six-match BNZ series, which the Black Caps lead 2-1.

The selectors want the extra speed and bounce Bulfin can generate as a strike bowler to place the South African batsmen under greater pressure than they have been during the test series.

Bulfin, who hails from Marlborough but played for Wellington this season, was already included in New Zealand's 19-man World Cup squad, which will be trimmed to 15 on March 31.

Rather surprisingly, Bulfin replaces Simon Doull in the 12-man team. Doull, despite a barren test series against South Africa, is still a highly-regarded strike bowler, but appears to be considered less potent in the one-day arena.

Bulfin was home in Blenheim when he received the call from chairman of selectors, Ross Dykes.

"It was pretty exciting, the knees were a bit trembly."

Bulfin said he hopes to emulate the deeds of Elworthy, named man of the match for the just-concluded third test at the Basin Reserve, after coming in for the injured Allan Donald.

"It's all about getting a chance and making the most of it," Bulfin said.

Bulfin impressed the selectors with some lively spells in the Shell Cup play-offs, notably the final against Canterbury, and earned an outing for New Zealand A against the tourists at Lincoln Green. "It took me the first two days in that game to work out my game and try to be aggressive, rather than to just contain them. I also didn't have the new ball to use."

Bulfin's mentor is Gary Bartlett, who was one of New Zealand's fastest pace bowlers in his heyday.

Bartlett is also Bulfin's masseur and Bulfin has had spent plenty of time on his table this season with a succession of injuries. However, he believes he is over the worst of the spurs on the heel of his left foot which have troubled him.

The team has been named for only the first game as there is a possibility of Canterbury's Craig McMillan recovering from the broken bone in his left hand.

Stephen Fleming, having been cleared as fully fit, was immediately thrust back into the team and resumes the captaincy role from Dion Nash. Fleming said that while he may be rusty from not having played at top level for the past two months, he had been working hard in the nets and was looking forward to returning to the fray.

The selectors have decided to keep Bryan Young in the squad when it already has established one-day openers Matthew Horne and Nathan Astle. Dykes said Young could bat No. 3, with Fleming's spot somewhere between No. 3 and 5.

Fleming's return to fitness and a desire for the greater experience Young provides, probably squeezed the well-performing Gary Stead from continuing his meteoric rise from the test arena into the one-day team.

Team: Stephen Fleming (captain), Nathan Astle, Chris Harris , Geoff Allott (Canterbury); Matthew Horne (Otago); Bryan Young, Dion Nash, Adam Parore (Auckland); Roger Twose, Gavin Larsen (Wellington); Daniel Vettori (Northern Districts).

Source :: The Christchurch Press (https://www.press.co.nz/)