Sinclair hopes for permanent place in side

Mathew Sinclair, New Zealand's opening batsman who was recenty recalled, is hoping to secure a permanent spot in the side with the two-Test series against Sri Lanka starting December 7.

"After the World Cup they're [New Zealand] going back to 10 Test matches [next season]. I see these two Tests as an intro to get back in there," Sinclair told the New Zealand Herald.

The first Test in Christchurch will be a comeback for Sinclair who was given a central contract with New Zealand Cricket for the 2006-07 season after missing out on one last year. "I've been in and out of the side so many times now, I can't count," said Sinclair. "Now I've been given a fantastic opportunity. It takes me back a few years to when I was making my debut for New Zealand. It has that same feeling about it.

"There's going to be a lot of pressure around it all. With the lads not going well [in the Champions Trophy] as far as the top order is concerned, collectively we have to get together here and nut out how we're going to put big scores up."

Sinclair, who was picked on the basis of his domestic performance in this season and the last, said that he had talked to John Bracewell, the New Zealand coach, before the team left for the Champions Trophy in India in October and had asked what was expected of him. Advised to be consistently the best domestic player, Sinclair did just that, making a century against Northern Districts two days before the Test squad was announced.

In the last season's State Championship Sinclair made 723 runs at 51.64 from nine games with three hundreds and five fifties.