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Franklin gets reward for hard work Lynn McConnell - 24 March 2001
Wellington left-arm medium-fast bowler James Franklin has achieved his target, selection in the third Test 12 to play Pakistan in Hamilton starting on Tuesday. When he was dropped after New Zealand's first Test loss, Franklin, 20, told New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming that he wanted to be back in the side for the third Test and he achieved that today when named. He returned home and worked with provincial coach Vaughn Johnson to regain the swing factor to his bowling, something that had worked against him in Auckland. That and the fact selection chairman Sir Richard Hadlee felt he looked tired after an arduous first up campaign, especially in the One-Day Internationals. "It was great to get the swing back. That is a real asset for a bowler of my type and in the one-dayers I had been trying to bowl length and restricting runs. I wasn't giving it enough length to swing. "I was falling away in my action but Vaughn got me more upright and running more down the pitch. "It worked well. I did some work with my wrist which meant I was pushing the ball out and giving it a chance to swing," he said. Franklin left Auckland knowing there was still a bit of cricket to be played and while he had a day or two off, he was working on his bowling in that time before playing for the New Zealand Selection XI against Central Districts in a two-day game and then returning home to play the Pakistan side in the three-day game completed today. "I needed to take a step back and look at what had happened to me in such a short time. I had advanced in my career a bit more quickly than I had expected to happen," he said. Franklin said he had thoroughly enjoyed the experience and had found the international environment exciting. While still to find out if he will be in the Test XI he said: "If I can take the swing with me and get picked for the third Test it will be a good weapon to have and I'll have a lot more chances to get batsmen out," he said. "It's the nature of the Pakistan batsmen that they will give you a chance." In the off season, Franklin will take a month or two off, work on his fitness and strength and also look at his batting, an aspect of his game which has disappointed him this summer. Although with his call-up for New Zealand to bowl it was understandable that his batting would fall victim to the side's requirements. © CricInfo
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