Outstanding as Astle's season finale was in Dunedin when he produced one of his most significant ODI centuries to set up a series win over England, the Astle strike rate in the statistics above better reflects his season. He did have a 95 in his first innings in Australia, and he did also receive what he politely called "rough calls" in the England series. But he lacked for the sort of consistency New Zealand require of him if they are to be a formidable consideration for the World Cup. He doesn't have that on his own. But that last innings will linger long in the memory and he is clearly our best-performing one-day batsman.

CHRIS NEVIN:

Nevin had cause to feel a little confused with his status this season. The preferred option for the first one-day series in Pakistan which never happened, he was then over-looked for the VB Series in Australia as Adam Parore's 'keeping form could not be denied. So he was called in for the England series where he generally succeeded in seeing New Zealand off to the sort of starts wanted. Starts of 99, 25, 10, 9 and 55, make a darned sight better reading than New Zealand managed in Australia. And Nevin's strike rate is the most interesting reading with 88.23! Some remedial work over winter on his 'keeping and he looks World Cup bound.

BRENDON McCULLUM:

The real shot in the dark of all the New Zealand selections this year, McCullum did not produce instant results. But this is a player who, in a year or two, has the potential to set about challenging the record Astle has developed. His selection has not been wasted and he has a huge future in the New Zealand game. He has hard work to do in terms of his own disciplines, but this is a batsman who will be capable to taking the best attacks apart.

STEPHEN FLEMING:

Fleming has been a fascinating study in style this year. Having overcome the Test match bogey of not being able to convert 50s into centuries, he has developed his captaincy very well and his tactic immediately preceding Graham Thorpe's dismissal in Dunedin was a classic example of his innovation for effect in ODIs. But he is also working on developing his batting style to cope with the new bouncer law. That has not made for pretty watching at times, but if the longer term benefit of it is that he emerges as a better-equipped batsmen in ODIs then that has to have made it all worthwhile. His strike rate for the summer is too low for a player of his quality and reflects the season he has had. He looks like he needs a good, long match-winning innings to restore his quality to its highest level. But let no-one doubt the quality of his leadership in this side.

CRAIG McMILLAN:

For the type of player he is, McMillan must feel some frustration with his results this year. They are not bad, but they are not at the dominating level he achieved last summer. His strike rate this year of 72.86 compares with the 85.07 of last year and the average has dropped from 37.90 last summer to 28.46 this year. Perhaps, he too is having to come to grips with the bouncer law. His role in the middle-order is vital to the side's future, and his commitment during the 100-run stand with Astle in Dunedin was a classic example of his ability to fill that demand. McMillan will come back stronger, he has too, and World Cup year might represent perfect timing.

LOU VINCENT:

It is not until you do this sort of exercise that you realise just how light Vincent's contribution has been with the bat this year. Admittedly part of that is due to the requirement to use him as an opener for a while. His place is in the middle-order and hopefully that fact has been established now. The innings he played in Wellington with McMillan during an 84-run stand was pivotal to New Zealand's success. But much more of the same is needed from him, at an even faster clip. There's no doubting the lift he gives New Zealand in the field and a key player in future scheme of things.

CHRIS CAIRNS:

Cairns not only advanced his batting strike rate on last summer, he vastly reduced his bowling economy rate, no doubt benefiting from the knee surgery he underwent. Now that the is not required to open the bowling, Cairns has become a much more influential figure with the ball. And his bowling in Dunedin which was his best of the summer, is an indication that he is right back in his stride. There were times during the England series when he failed with the bat, although the threat was always lurking as England found out as he almost defied Duckworth/Lewis in Auckland. However, the innings in Brisbane to beat South Africa was a graphic representation of his class. Everyone would like Cairns to be more consistent but that is largely in his own hands.

CHRIS HARRIS:

New Zealand are never beaten until Harris has been taken out of the picture. His fighting qualities have been revealed time and again. Despite the best efforts of batsmen everywhere to get on top of him, his economy rate is down again on last year, and this on better quality wickets in Australia and New Zealand. His batting too, remains consistent and his status is undiminished, the genuine team man who doesn't know when to quit.

ANDRE ADAMS:

Someone soon on the world cricket scene is going to suffer at Andre Adams' hands. His best score is not going to remain 28 not out for long. He's had sufficient taste of international play this summer to pause and reflect on what more he must do, but there is no doubt he has made his mark. He offers New Zealand greater strength with his batting, while his sheer speed in bowling makes him far more valuable than your regular old New Zealand medium-pacer. However, he cannot rest on his laurels, players like Jacob Oram have to be competing with the likes of Adams and McCullum for places and it is the player performing the most consistently who will be selected most times.

SCOTT STYRIS:

Styris is unlikely to feature in the immediate future with the one-day side. His bowling is too expensive while his batting strike rate is not sufficiently high enough to push him ahead of Adams and Oram, who ended last summer with a batting strike rate of 91.46 and a bowling economy rate of 4.89.

ADAM PARORE:

A future in One-Day Internationals looks unlikely for Parore. Nevin is doing the job at the top of the order that is required by New Zealand while the hope has to be that McCullum's knee problem can be solved so that he can be groomed to assume Parore's wicket-keeping mantle in the longer term picture of New Zealand's cricket. Parore could not offer the batting scope that Nevin provides and while there was no doubt about Parore's sheer 'keeping quality, Nevin best fits the bill at the moment.

SHANE BOND:

Bond's arrival on the scene has given New Zealand an extra weapon with his pace bowling, all the more important now the bouncer law is in vogue. Injury preventing him playing against England was a disappointment but with a full programme in the month's ahead, he still has plenty of time to be exposed to top quality play before the World Cup where his role is assuming significant proportions. An exciting prospect in all respects, and he can fling a bat as well.

DION NASH:

Nash's contribution was nowhere near as much as everyone would have wanted of him. The injury problems flared again and it has to be wondered where his future lies. At least there are players emerging who are capable of filling his role in the side. But he still had something to offer when he was used, and his ability to snap up key wickets has not been lost. The last may not yet have been heard of Nash.

DANIEL VETTORI:

It probably wasn't the most successful of Vettori's one-day summers although in terms of economy his runs per over was sound. He was hunted by the Australians and South Africans, much moreso than the English, but, typically, he never lost his cool. While the Test match arena appeals as the area in which he can cause most havoc, he is still a doughty one-day player with the ability to tie down opposing sides when the need requires. His batting has been found out in some respects but anyone who frees him up can expect to suffer the consequences.

MARK RICHARDSON:

The experiment of the year but one that failed. Richardson had pushed a compelling case for inclusion in the one-day side, in the public's mind at least and if the selectors had any doubts they decided to find out for themselves. Richardson did not come off. Chasing runs in a Test match setting is a different proposition to getting the innings underway and while he would get a place fielding in the England side, he does not fit in the New Zealand plan. Test matches only will be his label in the future one suspects.

JAMES FRANKLIN:

It was a harsh season for Franklin, especially after the highly-encouraging start he made last year. But it will not be the end of him. Out of the ashes of the fire Shaun Pollock lit at Perth will emerge a better player and it will be all the more impressive when he adds his impressive batting talent to his CV.

DARYL TUFFEY:

Disappointment must have entered Tuffey's thinking when he failed to make the VB Series squad but if he let that upset him it has not been obvious. His bowling against England has been tremendous. In Wellington and Dunedin he bowled outstandingly, and he has gained a degree of control that makes him unrelenting. His is an important role in the side and he looks set for a long stay as a journeyman in the traditional New Zealand Bob Cunis/Ewen Chatfield mould.

IAN BUTLER:

Success doesn't come as quickly as Butler's first ODI wicket did. Called in as a speed option replacement for Bond, Butler always had to be kept in cotton wool. He is a fine, long-term prospect, and the thought of he and Bond at opposite ends in an ODI is a thrilling one. But more work needs to be done on him. He may well get a winter tour but investment is the word that best sums up his summer.

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