Cricket: Ex-coaches help players find form

Andy Moles severed ties immediately but two other casualties of a New Zealand Cricket (NZC) coaching shake-up continue to groom a vulnerable batting line-up for the first test against Pakistan starting in Dunedin tomorrow.

Former NZC national batting coach Mark O'Neill and Bob Carter, an assistant under John Bracewell's regime, have both been helping Daniel Flynn and the recalled Peter Fulton discover and maintain a semblance of form before the three-match series begins at University Oval.

Flynn, the incumbent No 3, spent three valuable weeks in Sydney, recently escaped the drudgery of Hamilton's indoor nets for club cricket under blue skies, and more importantly a brainstorming session with O'Neill.

The Australian's role at NZC ended earlier this year, coinciding with Moles' abbreviated 11-month tenure.

But O'Neill has kept tabs on his former students so he was an obvious sounding board for Flynn as the nuggety left-hander strives to improve a middling average of 33 from 13 tests.

Flynn said there was nothing drastically wrong with his technique, O'Neill just suggested minor alterations that will ideally enable the 24-year-old to better the career-best 95 he made in Dunedin a year ago against the West Indies.

"I found him really good. He helped with a few technical refinements, nothing major," Flynn said.

That amounted to positive reinforcement, with Flynn confident he still has the set-up to succeed at the game's highest level.

"My game's good enough to score runs (at test level), and now I've got to have faith in it and go out and produce it."

Flynn also has the satisfaction of making 50 in his last test innings at Colombo against Sri Lanka in August, and the feel good factor remains.

"It's a shame we didn't have another test over there because I felt I really found my feet over there after that knock."

Fulton, meanwhile, also needed reassurance after being dropped following last November's two-test series in Australia, a blow exacerbated by missing out on a NZC contract for this season.

He had leadership roles during the Emerging Players and New Zealand A winter tours but figured a recall to the national side was out of the question when he missed selection for the New Zealand Invitation 11 to play Pakistan in Queenstown last week.

Ironically, playing for Canterbury worked to Fulton's advantage because his double of 172 and 77 against Otago could not be ignored when the selectors mulled over replacements for Jesse Ryder.

That tall order falls to Fulton, who, at 30, is now feeling more amenable to life as a professional cricketer.

Carter, Canterbury's head coach, urged Fulton to stay positive -- and become a touch self absorbed at the crease.

"I've worked a lot with Bob over the winter. He really emphasised the need for me to be not so much selfish but look to make some big scores for myself," said Fulton, who averages 24.72 from eight tests.

He was often guilty of getting decent starts last summer without converting into three figures so his 249 runs at Rangiora were timely.

While his axing after Adelaide and loss of contract hurt, Fulton's captaincy of the A team in India indicated he was still in the frame provided the runs flowed.

Selector Mark Greatbatch was on the Emerging Players tour, NZC high performance manager John Wright was also on deck in India and both made encouraging noises.

"They were reasonably positive about the future if I could get out there and put some performances on the board," Fulton said.

"I had to get my head around scoring some bigger scores. Last year I made a lot of 60s and 70s and then got myself out.

"If you can put together big hundreds you're always going to be at the forefront of the selectors' minds."