-
Shane Bond celebrates a wicket - Source: Photosport -
Related
It's been a while coming, but the most pivotal match of New Zealand's cricketing summer to date looms against Australia at a packed Seddon Park on Tuesday.
Both combatants have talked up the importance of the third Chappell-Hadlee Trophy one-day international as they underwent their final shakedowns under warm sunshine, with the five-match series poised at 1-1.
Australia are dominant favourites with the bookies after their 12-run win in Auckland last Saturday when they defended a substandard total of 273, with assistance from New Zealand's misfiring top order, some Mitchell Johnson magic and the Duckworth-Lewis method.
A win by Ricky Ponting's tourists will see their growing confidence skyrocket and crunch them into microscopic odds to retain the trophy and hit the ground running for the upcoming two-Test series.
New Zealand started outstandingly in Napier and were solid again with the ball in Auckland, but their top order batting and key injuries make it a tough ask.
"It's probably the most important game of the series. The team that can go 2-1 up only needs one more to win the series so we're trying to put everything into this game. We enjoy playing here, it's a great cricket ground and the guys are pretty excited about being here," New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori said.
Vettori gave himself (neck injury) and Brendon McCullum (back) the all clear, although Gareth Hopkins will keep wicket, but pronounced key batsman Ross Taylor and allrounder James Franklin (both strained hamstrings) 50-50 prospects after both batted in the nets.
Taylor was a better chance of playing than Franklin, purely because he wasn't a bowler. A decision will be left until Tuesday morning.
"If Ross was able to get on the park we'd be pretty grateful for that," Vettori said.
"All these sorts of decisions you need to make for yourself, because if you can't get it right in your own head then your performance won't be great. I'll leave it completely up to Ross to make sure that he's all right and that he feels comfortable playing."
If Taylor and Franklin were both scratched then Canterbury's Shanan Stewart will make his debut at No 6, behind the in-form Scott Styris at No. 5.
The powerfully built Stewart, 27, was whistled up from New Plymouth after scoring 227 not out for Canterbury yesterday and is seen as an aggressive batsman in the shorter form of the game.
New Zealand need more from talisman Brendon McCullum, Peter Ingram and Martin Guptill at the top to ensure wickets in hand for the crucial power play late in the innings.
"When we get off to that good start it makes such a difference. We need to improve that but also continue our bowling standards because we've kept them under par scores of 300 in the last two games," Vettori said.
Vettori felt 300 was again a par total at Seddon Park, which is expected to be full with a crowd of just over 10,000.
A warm welcome will surely be afforded villain-of-the-moment Johnson but Australian coach Tim Nielsen said the tourists expected it as long as it "didn't cross the line".
An injury-free Australia also haven't fired with the bat, with Michael Hussey's 59 in Hamilton their best individual innings.
Nielsen tipped another thriller with the Chappell-Hadlee ledger standing at 8-8.
"They've got a couple of injuries, Jacob Oram being out takes a bit of flexibility from their team, but Scott Styris hasn't played a huge amount and he stepped back in and played beautifully," Nielsen said.
"They're a quality side. The last couple of years has shown; last year it was 2-2 in Australia, we made the final of the Champions Trophy and it was a tough game, it's now 1-1 here. It doesn't matter what the rankings are saying, whenever we play New Zealand it's flat out, full on."
Nielsen admitted with a quick turnaround to game four in Auckland on Thursday then Wellington on Saturday, the losing side on Tuesday would find it extremely difficult to recover.
