Mason stakes his claim

Michael Mason enhanced his Test selection prospects with seven wickets © Getty Images

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Michael Mason edged part one of his ’bowl-off’ with Iain O’Brien as both chase the possibility of a place in the New Zealand team for the first npower Test at Lord’s.

Mason finished with match figures of 7-101 as the Kiwis beat Essex by 92 runs at Chelmsford.

O’Brien performed well too and, with 6-100, was hardly left on the blocks by his rival.

Even with captain Daniel Vettori nursing stitches in his bowling hand and therefore set to miss the final warm-up match against England Lions this week, there probably will not be room for both Mason and O’Brien at the Rose Bowl.

Off-spinner Jeetan Patel may well come in for slow left-armer Vettori, and the captain has confirmed if teenage pace bowler Tim Southee is fit after a minor back problem he too will play.

Chris Martin is also rated a first-choice seamer, and certainly was in the winter’s Test series defeat by England.

Vettori has made it clear the Kiwis intend to field the same team against England’s second string - apart from himself - as for the Test on May 15.

Iain O'Brien will compete with Mason for a place in the side at Lord's © Getty Images

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Mason is not getting ahead of himself, as he considers the possibility of winning only his second Test cap - and first for four years - at the age of 33.

“All we can do is charge in and bowl as well as we can,” he said. “If we can win these games we can take good confidence into the Test.

“Chris Martin’s got to come back and bowl, and everyone has to get up to speed with their bowling for this Lord’s Test.”

Mason also had news of Southee. “He picked up a little bit of a back niggle in the last three-day match,” he said.

“But the scan has come up clear, and he’s started bowling and running around fine now.”

Whoever turns out at Southampton, Mason is confident team morale will be high after bowling Essex out for 200 in the second innings - despite a battling first half-century of the season from England opener Alastair Cook (57).

“It was excellent on the last day, bowling them out and bowling such great lines,” said Mason.

“The night before was not so good for a few overs - when we didn’t really get up mentally. It meant we had to go out a little bit harder in the morning, and we kept pushing and pushing.”

“A couple of days ago, it was my first bowl for a long time - so it was a bit of a blow-out. But by the end of the match, I was feeling a lot better - really good.”