Pair in showdown for keeper’s job

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South African-born pair Kruger van Wyk and B J Watling are in a two-horse race to be New Zealand’s new test wicketkeeper after incumbent Reece Young was axed yesterday.

Central Districts gloveman van Wyk, 31, was the only new face in the test 12 named by coach John Wright to face Zimbabwe in the one-off test in Napier, starting on January 26.

From the team who beat Aust- ralia by seven runs in Hobart last month, Jesse Ryder (groin) was not considered, spinner Daniel Vettori returns from a hamstring injury and van Wyk usurps Young after his indifferent Australian tour where he scored 22 runs in four innings. Watling was 12th man in Hobart.

Van Wyk forced his way in on the back of a strong first-class season for Central, averaging 71.80 from four Plunket Shield games pre-christmas.

Watling, only

a

part-time New Zealand test squad: Ross Taylor (c) – Central Stags, Trent Boult – Northern Knights, Doug Bracewell – Central Stags, Dean Brownlie – Canterbury Wizards, Martin Guptill – Auckland Aces, Chris Martin – Auckland Aces, Brendon Mccullum – Otago Volt, Tim Southee – Northern Knights, Daniel Vettori – Northern Knights, Kruger van Wyk – Central Stags, B J Watling – Northern Knights, Kane Williamson – Northern Knights. New Zealand XI: Ross Taylor (c) – Central Stags, Brent Arnel – Northern Knights, Michael Bracewell – Otago Volts, Chris Martin – Auckland Aces, Andy Mckay – Wellington Firebirds, Tarun Nethula – Central Stags, Kruger van Wyk – Central Stags, Daniel Vettori – Northern Knights, Neil Wagner – Otago Volts, Sam Wells – Otago Volts, B J Watling – Northern Knights, Kane Williamson – Northern Knights. gloveman, loomed into calculations when he kept wicket for Northern Districts in their recent Twenty20 matches, ahead specialist Peter Mcglashan.

Watling will take the gloves for

of a New Zealand XI in a three-day warm-up match against Zimbabwe in Gisborne, starting on Saturday, while van Wyk will open the batting, Wright said.

‘‘There’s a lot of competition for the wicketkeeping spot in the country at the moment. It’s tough on Reece, his keeping has been good and he knows that if he goes back to domestic cricket and scores runs he will remain in the frame.

‘‘B J will get a chance to prove himself with the gloves in the three-day game and Kruger will open the batting. A decision on who will take the gloves in the test will be made closer to the start of the match.’’

Batting ability has become more important for the test gloveman as New Zealand prepare to take five specialist bowlers into the test, with Vettori likely to bat six. Watling is highly rated by Wright and is a tidy gloveman.

Van Wyk made his first-class debut in South Africa in 2000 and emigrated to New Zealand in 2006. He captained Canterbury then shifted to Central in June 2010.

He has 96 first-class matches to his name, and averages 38.66 with the bat. He also has 276 catches and 14 stumpings.

The New Zealand XI features some promising youngsters in batsman Michael Bracewell, allrounder Sam Wells and legspinner Tarun Nethula, while Otago fast bowler Neil Wagner, the South African eligible for New Zealand selection in April, gets his chance to impress.