No need to doctor the pitch - Greatbatch

New Zealand coach Mark Greatbatch says there has been no request to turn the Basin Reserve into a dustbowl for the first test against Australia, starting on Friday.

Taking 20 wickets without Shane Bond looms as a tough ask for New Zealand's attack but any Australian fears that the pitch would be dried out to assist spinners Daniel Vettori and Jeetan Patel are off the mark.

"No, not at all," Greatbatch said.

"With a 13-man squad we've got that cover with our four seamers and two spinners so we need to see how the pitch unfolds over the next few days.

"It's normally a wonderful test strip here so we're looking forward to it and we're excited about the game."

Vettori, Chris Martin, Daryl Tuffey and Tim Southee are selection certainties with the final bowling spot a toss-up between Patel and seamer Brent Arnel.

New Zealand lack pure pace to trouble Australia's batsmen and it seems the plan might be to bore them to death.

"We're going to bowl a certain way to them," Greatbatch said.

"We don't have any nasty fasties so we're going to need to be patient, be accurate and really just hang in there and compete against them, every ball.

"Discipline and patience is going to be a key. If we can do that over five days then we're a chance of competing with them and staying with them."

Greatbatch said teenage Northern Districts batsman Kane Williamson had been discussed around the selection table but despite his hot domestic form, a cautious approach was taken.

"At the moment the selection panel don't feel like it's his time. He's scoring runs at first-class level and he still hasn't played two full years of first-class cricket.

"If he keeps scoring them we've got some winter trips so he may be an option later on."

- © Fairfax NZ News

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