Franklin keen to reinvent himself - as an opener

CRAIG SIMCOX/The Dominion Post

JAMES FRANKLIN: Career best bowling figures in England.

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James Franklin has nailed down his immediate cricketing future – now he wants to reinvent himself as an opener in one-day and Twenty20 cricket.

Sick of being seen as – in his own words – "a jack of all trades, but master of none", Franklin hopes to clarify his role on his return to Wellington as he treads the long path back to the New Zealand side.

The epiphany came during his current stint with English county Gloucestershire, under the guidance of his former New Zealand coach, John Bracewell, where he's topping the averages in all three formats.

He was elevated to opener and responded in Twenty20 with 470 runs at 39.16 and strike rate of 130. In the 40-over competition he stroked 42 at No3 in Gloucestershire's 65-run win over Yorkshire yesterday, taking his run haul to 203 at 40.6.

"It's been really enjoyable, really refreshing changing the role that I've been playing in T20," he said.

"It opened my eyes to a different style of batting. I've been so used to coming into a situation that's set for me, in terms of batting in the middle order. You've got to play a certain way because that's the way the game's panned out.

"As an opener you set the tone and set the game up. It's been nice to be able to do that."

Those who have seen the lanky left-hander in full flight at the Basin Reserve will attest he can clear the pickets with one effortless swat of the willow.

But the highest the all-rounder has batted for New Zealand is No5, where he scored 12 and two against Australia in the first two ODIs in March, before slipping down to No 8, where he scored 10 in his most recent appearance, the fourth ODI at Eden Park.

He was unwanted for the World Twenty20 and the upcoming ODI series in Sri Lanka, then was axed from New Zealand Cricket's contract list last week.

After an international career spanning nearly a decade, Franklin's numbers suggested a talent unfulfilled. From 26 tests he averages 21 with the bat and 33 with the ball; in 75 ODIs it's 19 with the bat and 39 with the ball.

At 29, the rejection left him mulling over his future. The good-natured Franklin wasn't one to get emotional, but it hurt.

He looked at the prospect of using his Irish passport to qualify as a local player at Gloucestershire. It would see him nail down a permanent deal with the county, which would jump at his full-time services, following in the footsteps of current team-mate Hamish Marshall. But advice from his manager, Stephen Fleming, who was in daily contact, steered him back home.

"In essence, the timing wasn't quite right. I still want to come back and play in Wellington and take that route.

"I've still got that [English] option, that could possibly happen down the road at some stage."

When he returns in late September he will meet coach Anthony Stuart to discuss his role in the Firebirds, who are seeking a big form turnaround after finishing fifth, sixth and sixth in the three competitions last summer.

Depending on Jesse Ryder's availability, Franklin could potentially join Neal Parlane at the top of the order, or slot in at No3. It could mean a Shane Watsonesque transformation to opener and fourth seamer, although Franklin wants to keep contributing with the white ball – even if a knee problem has restricted him in recent years.

"In the last couple of years I haven't taken an amazing amount of wickets but I've still been happy with the way I've been bowling.

"I'm just hopeful that back home I'll really be able to contribute with lots of wickets as well as scoring the runs I've been scoring."

Stuart and Wellington chief executive Gavin Larsen are eager for their No1 contractee to prove the New Zealand selectors wrong and force his way back into World Cup reckoning early next year.

Franklin admits it's a long way back into black, but the Wellington faithful will at least see him give it his best shot – hopefully blazing away at the top of the order as he's done all over England in recent weeks.

"A lot of it comes down to doing well and being in New Zealand teams and I haven't been there since March.

"Obviously guys have moved ahead of me in the pecking order in the selectors' eyes, so what can I do? I've just got to get back and play well and see where that takes me."

- © Fairfax NZ News