Sinclair likely to sign with New Zealand

Mathew Sinclair says it is likely he will accept New Zealand's offer of a national contract amid reports he was not the selectors' first choice to replace Hamish Marshall in the squad. Sinclair has until Friday to take up the NZ$45,000 retainer that became available when Marshall decided to stay in England permanently as a county cricketer.

The Dominion Post reported that Sinclair was told of his selection while preparing for a day of relief teaching at Napier Boys High School on Tuesday. "There is every likelihood I'll accept," Sinclair told the paper. "I'll have a wee think but at the moment it looks likely I'll take it on and probably there are no excuses this time with eight Tests so the ball is back in my court."

When he was originally axed from the contract list last month, Sinclair, 31, said he felt disadvantaged in New Zealand's system of ranking players because he was considered a Test specialist. New Zealand played only two Tests in the year to May 31 and Sinclair slotted in at No. 3 in both of those matches. They are in line to play 13 Tests in the next 18 months.

Sinclair said it was difficult being a fringe player in New Zealand, so he would be desperately pushing his case for a spot in the Test team. "It's hard going up and down financial ladders and I don't blame Marshy (Marshall) for what he has done," he said. "I'd do the same thing in his situation. He's 28 and going to earn good money.

"By signing for three to four years with Gloucestershire he will probably be in line for a testimonial season by the end of it. I've played 12-13 years with Central Districts and the subject of a benefit year has never come up. But I'll just focus on trying to score lots of runs this summer and on being consistent."

However, the paper said Sinclair might not have always been next in line and the selectors' first choice - possibly Craig Cumming or Daryl Tuffey - could have been vetoed by the Players' Association. There was a 12-day delay from when Marshall declined his contract to when Sinclair was named. Lindsay Crocker, New Zealand's manager, initially said the decision would take only 48 hours, a comment he now concedes was "a bit bullish".

He confirmed the decision was run by the Players' Association before the board but would not elaborate on the association's involvement in choosing Sinclair. "There were a few guys that just missed so it was a matter of sorting out which one was the preferred choice and in the end they came up with the Skippy (Sinclair)," Crocker said. "We only put one name forward to the board."