The writing appears to be on the wall for incumbent test opener Craig Cumming with his position in the national squad coming under pressure from the in-form Jamie How.
How was yesterday named captain of a New Zealand Selection XI to play England in a three-day first-class match at the University Oval beginning on Thursday.
While How's inclusion is far from cast-iron proof that the selectors are contemplating recalling the Central District's captain at the expense of Cumming, all the clues seemed to point to that scenario unfolding when the test team to play England in Hamilton on March 5 is named later this week.
While How has mounted a solid argument for a recall during the recent one-day international series with scores of 28, 10, 139 and 24, a lot could depend on his performance in Dunedin this week.
National selector Glenn Turner indicated several spots could still be up for grabs.
‘‘It's an opportunity for one or two to show they've got some form behind them and so I guess the game is very handy from that point of view,'' Turner said, adding it was also an opportunity ‘‘for some of the players who are going to play [in the test] to have a hit''.
‘‘Things aren't as cut and dry as they might have been . . . I think too that you have to look at form, particularly when it's a toss-up between some players.
‘‘Jamie seems to be developing all the time . . . and he has shown good form in recent times.''
With Otago qualifying for the State Shield final against Auckland at Eden Park this Sunday, Cumming was not considered for the New Zealand Selection XI.
However, Turner said that would not disadvantage Cumming, who had an opportunity to impress during the final.
Both Peter Fulton and Mathew Sinclair have also been named in the side.
The pair struggled in the recent test series against Bangladesh and will be keen to make a good impression, along with Ross Taylor, who was also named in the side.
Taylor, who averages 34.86 in first-class cricket, does not have as good a record as Fulton, who averages 47.57, and Sinclair, who averages 47.51.
And Taylor was probably behind Jesse Ryder (42.78) in the pecking order until the lefthander badly cut his hand in a Christchurch bar.
Unless the selectors opt to play How at No 3 and stick with Cumming and Matthew Bell, Taylor, Fulton and Sinclair will be competing for two places.
When asked whether Fulton and Taylor were competing for one spot, Turner said: ‘‘I wouldn't narrow it down quite like that''.
‘‘Obviously both those players are being looked at closely and won't do themselves any harm if they score runs here.''
The other talking point surrounds Mark Gillespie and Iain O'Brien, who will vie for the one spot with Chris Martin and Kyle Mills likely to spearhead the attack.
Gillespie took three wickets in a two-day warm-up match against the tourists at the University Oval yesterday, but O'Brien bowled a tidier spell and arguably won the points battle.
