Pak vs NZ 1st Test - Top Batting Order Could Decide Series

Dunedin: The ability of New Zealand's top-order batsmen to overcome a recent history of poor starts may decide a closely contested three-test cricket series against Pakistan beginning here Tuesday.

The weakness of the New Zealand top order, prompting revolving door selection policies, has seen the Kiwis drop to seventh on world test rankings one place below Pakistan and will remain the biggest issue for the hosts in the coming series.

Tim McIntosh and Martin Guptill will likely open the batting for New Zealand in Dunedin, followed by Daniel Flynn, Ross Taylor, the recalled Peter Fulton and allrounder Grant Elliott. Daniel Vettori, already burdened with the roles of captain, stand-in coach, selector and key bowler, may likely accept additional responsibility and bat up the order.

Left-hander McIntosh, who has played seven tests since his debut against the West Indies at Dunedin last year, warmed up for the match with an unbeaten 131 for a New Zealand Invitation side against the tourists last week.

Guptill made a century on his one-day international debut for New Zealand last season and has since made six half centuries in limited-overs internationals but has yet to pass 49 in five tests.

Flynn has averaged 33 through 13 tests with four half centuries and, at No. 3, is a key figure in New Zealand's batting lineup.

New Zealand selector Mark Greatbatch has acknowledged the challenge facing New Zealand's batsmen.

"Obviously, with Oram retiring and Ryder injured it left some spots open," Greatbatch said. "We've got a lot of work to do in test cricket and I think it is time we really started competing."

Fulton has won a surprise recall to the New Zealand team which has been hard hit by the retirement of Jacob Oram and injury to Jesse Ryder. His domestic form is strong but Fulton has managed only 272 runs at an average of 24.7 in eight previous tests.

"He is the sort of player we are needing for a bit of glue. Our batting is an area where we need to improve," Greatbatch said. "Peter Fulton is the sort of guy our batting unit needs. The batting is not at the level it needs to be and he has a bit of doggedness about him."

New Zealand has confidence that, if its batsmen can perform, it has the bowling to test Pakistan. Shane Bond is set to return to test cricket after a two-year absence to lead the New Zealand attack while Daryl Tuffey might play his first test in five years.

Pakistan batsman Faisal Iqbal said a warmup match at Queenstown had helped Pakistan adapt to New Zealand conditions.

"It will take a little bit of time but the three-day game has given enough for everyone to get used to it as bowlers and batsmen," he said.

"Things have started quite well. The guys are doing really hard work and everyone is focused for the series."

Teams

New Zealand will be playing a Test for the first time since Jacob Oram retired from the format and are likely to field a XI comprising six specialist batsmen, a wicketkeeper and four bowlers. New Zealand's batting is also depleted with Jesse Ryder out injured but his absence has given Peter Fulton the opportunity to make a comeback in the middle order.

Squad (likely): Tim McIntosh, Martin Guptill, Daniel Flynn, Ross Taylor, Peter Fulton, Grant Elliott, Brendon McCullum (wk), Daniel Vettori (capt), Shane Bond, Daryl Tuffey, Chris Martin.

Pakistan are likely to field a batting line-up similar to the one used in the warm-up match in Queenstown. The one change could be Salman Butt being replaced by Shoaib Malik in the middle order. Some confusion between Danish Kaneria and Saeed Ajmal for the solitary slow bowler's spot but the offspinner is likely to get the nod.

Squad (likely): Khurram Manzoor, Imran Farhat, Fawad Alam, Mohammad Yousuf (capt), Shoaib Malik, 6 Umar Akmal, Kamran Akmal (wk), Umar Gul, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamer, Saeed Ajmal.

Pitch and conditions
New Zealand has never hosted a Test in November and the maximum temperature in Dunedin over the next five days is predicted to be 16 degrees. There is rain forecast on days two and three and scattered showers on the fifth. The Dawn newspaper even reported that the players were unable to stay warm with the kits they had been provided with.

Stats and Trivia

• In their last five series Pakistan have lost four and drawn one. They've won one out of 13 Tests during this period.
• New Zealand have won two out of their last 22 Tests against the top teams (excluding Bangladesh and Zimbabwe). They've lost seven of their last nine series against these teams.
• New Zealand have won only one series against Pakistan at home, which was way back in 1985. Since then Pakistan have won four out of six series (including one-off Tests).
• Mohammad Yousuf averages 69.71 in New Zealand, and has four fifty-plus scores in five Tests.
• Vettori has taken four wickets in three Tests against Pakistan, each at the cost of 100.25 runs

Match facts
Tuesday, November 24 - Saturday November 28, 2009
Start time 12:00 local (23:00 GMT prev day)