Red-hot Peter Fulton gets his reward

Not for the first time Peter Fulton's name has been pulled out of the selectors' hat.

In the past it has failed to work – 272 runs in eight tests at 24.72 – but the Canterbury man is in red-hot domestic form and the new panel want to try him again.

Selectors Mark Greatbatch, Glenn Turner and Daniel Vettori want some solidity in the middle order to play Pakistan in Dunedin, starting on Tuesday, and they have earmarked Fulton and Grant Elliott to provide that fighting spirit.

"Peter Fulton is the sort of guy our batting unit needs," Greatbatch said.

"The batting is not at the level it needs to be and he has a bit of doggedness about him, he has a bit of glue about him. Elliott and Fulton give it a bit of solidarity.

"They bat time and they bat low risk and hopefully that will complement our batting unit."

The top six will bat in the following order – Tim McIntosh and Martin Guptill will open, followed by Daniel Flynn, Ross Taylor, Fulton and Elliott.

Guptill and Taylor are free-scoring types, McIntosh, Flynn and Elliott are grafters and Fulton is a mix of both.

On his day Fulton can be a run-a-ball man, but his brief is to occupy the crease, something he did in spades in Rangiora this week.

The 30-year-old batted over 10 hours for a double of 172 and 77, scores that earned him a recall 12 months after his last test against Australia at Adelaide.

McIntosh and Flynn also bring form into the test, scoring 131 not out and 56 respectively, in the drawn tour match between a New Zealand XI and Pakistan in Queenstown.

New Zealand have named a squad of 13 for the opening two tests.

Offspinner Jeetan Patel is there as cover, leaving a toss-up for the third seamers role between Iain O'Brien and Daryl Tuffey. Shane Bond and Chris Martin will share the new ball.

O'Brien is the test incumbent and has served New Zealand well in recent seasons, but Tuffey's comeback has been eye-catching. His action is together and his control immaculate.

Greatbatch hinted at Tuffey breathing down O'Brien's neck during the tour match in Queenstown this week.

"Tuffey, O'Brien and [Tim] Southee were all pretty good," Greatbatch said.

"Tuffers is very strong at the moment. His second and third spells were just as good as his first spell as far as intensity and hitting a line.

"Significantly, of the 66 test wickets he's taken, 24 have been against Pakistan. It's a team he's done very well against.

"O'Brien is strong as well. He brings a different dimension to things because he hits the deck which can be handy against sides like Pakistan.

"Tim misses out this time but he is coming on nicely. He only needs another couple of games under his belt and he'll be in the mix."

The test marks the return of Bond after a two-year ban. He has been solid at all levels since his return and warmed up for next week with a match haul of 6-148 from 40 overs for Canterbury against Otago.

"I'm a bit sore, but I enjoyed it," Bond said.

"I love this form of the game and we had to work bloody hard and this is my favourite form of cricket. It's the most rewarding."

Unavailable for selection was Jesse Ryder (groin injury) while Jacob Oram has retired and James Franklin is the notable omission, losing the all-rounder's spot to his Wellington team-mate Elliott.

TEST SQUAD

The New Zealand team to play Pakistan in the first test starting in Dunedin on Tuesday: Daniel Vettori (captain), Shane Bond, Grant Elliott, Daniel Flynn, Peter Fulton, Martin Guptill, Chris Martin, Brendon McCullum, Tim McIntosh, Iain O'Brien, Jeetan Patel, Ross Taylor, Daryl Tuffey. The team has been named for the opening two tests of the three-test series.

- © Fairfax NZ News