World Cup selection pressure building for players

World Cup thinking was understandable as a distraction for batsmen during the National Bank Series but New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming thought the pressure to be in the side was a greater factor in batsmen's minds.

New Zealand have only six more games to get themselves into a confident frame of mind for the World Cup, and, in the process, into the sort of batting form that will make them a competitive unit in South Africa.

Tomorrow's match is even more important as it represents the last chance for players on the fringe to solidify their places.

Fleming said the World Cup was very important to the players and he was hopeful that some of the diffidence being faced at the moment might be a repeat of the switch that was flicked before the 1992 World Cup. On that occasion, the New Zealanders quickly put behind them the poor form evident in their series with England and switched into some of the most impressive form witnessed in New Zealand.

"I don't think that looking ahead to the World Cup is detracting from this series. If anything, it has created a little more pressure for certain players and how they respond to that is a good test," he said.

Conditions would improve the longer the series went, and Fleming was confident the batsmen would get their opportunity in the remaining games.

"As you go down the country, the wickets are pretty good, starting with Napier. Christchurch's pitch looked very good for the Max International and hopefully as we work our way back up, they will all improve with the sunlight and the weather improving.

"It's too early to say panic because we haven't got runs. There is a lot more cricket to be played in this series, especially for the batters and hopefully for us it starts tomorrow," he said.

One benefit for New Zealand from the dicey batting conditions had been a genuine sharpening of fielding and, especially, catching standards. That will always be of use going into the game's major championship when every chance counts.

"Every ball you think there is one coming, so you don't go to sleep. There is always something happening which I think helps concentration," he said.