Australia brace for slow wickets in tests

Australia's test cricket side are braced for slow New Zealand pitches but say Daniel Vettori will be a handful on whatever surface is presented in the next fortnight.

Vettori and fellow selectors Mark Greatbatch and Glenn Turner named their 13-man test squad today with few surprises; the same 11 who beat Bangladesh by 121 runs last month along with seamer Brent Arnel and 32-test batsman Mathew Sinclair who Greatbatch described as top-order batting cover.

Otago batsman Neil Broom, 12th man against Bangladesh, dropped out of the squad after some patchy recent form.

It meant another chance for incumbent No 3 Peter Ingram - axed from the one-day side - as the selectors resisted the urge to blood 19-year-old Kane Williamson despite some red-hot recent form including 192 for Northern Districts against Auckland in Whangarei yesterday.

Spinner Jeetan Patel was retained and could again partner Vettori, in the hope the Basin Reserve presents a slower surface on Friday to enable the captain to weave his magic.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting, relieved at the departure of Shane Bond to the Indian Premier League (IPL), had no doubt who their biggest dangerman would be after some probing ODI spells.

"Dan's probably more dangerous when it's not spinning, as funny as that sounds. To the right-handers in this series especially, the wickets haven't turned at all and the ball he bowls that slides straight on is probably his best weapon to right-handed batsmen," Ponting said.

"It'll be interesting to see what wickets they do serve up. With Bond not being there, maybe they will be drier pitches. With our balance we've got all bases covered for whatever conditions we're confronted with."

Australia's test reinforcements arrive tomorrow including the returning vice-captain Michael Clarke, batsmen Simon Katich, Phil Hughes and Marcus North, and young legspinner/batsman Steve Smith, although Ponting said they were unlikely to play two frontline spinners even in suitable conditions.

Vettori looms as New Zealand's trump card yet again, with Greatbatch confirming the captain would continue to bat at No 6 to enable five bowlers to be picked.

"It gives a very good balance to our side. It enables us to play the five bowlers we are looking for, whether that is four seamers and one spinner, or three seamers and two spinners. We have the ability to be flexible."

Ingram knocked up a quickfire 59 for Central against Wellington in Napier today after scoring three in the first innings.

As the incumbent he will bat No 3 in the first test at the Basin Reserve, but if he misses out he could be looking over his shoulder for the second test in Hamilton.

Sinclair, who played his previous test against England in 2008, was summoned on the strength of 610 runs at 61 in Plunket Shield and could loom into contention for Hamilton, as could long shot Jesse Ryder who is making solid progress from abdominal surgery but would need to star for Wellington next week, if selected.

Said Greatbatch of Sinclair: "We feel we need a cover top-order batter as opposed to a cover middle order batter. It's a bit tough on Neil but his form's not quite as good as it was back in February."

Tim McIntosh, BJ Watling, Ingram, Ross Taylor and Martin Guptill will make up a top-five under pressure to perform, with a long tail to accommodate the extra bowler.

New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (captain), Tim McIntosh, BJ Watling, Peter Ingram, Ross Taylor, Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, Daryl Tuffey, Tim Southee, Jeetan Patel, Chris Martin, Brent Arnel, Mathew Sinclair.

- NZPA