Peter Fulton dropped from Black Caps squad

The New Zealand test cricket team's South African contingent doubled today with BJ Watling's unveiling as a hopeful remedy for the side's batting woes.

The Durban-born 24-year-old debuts at the head of a run-starved top order with an out-of-touch Tim McIntosh in Friday's third and potentially decisive test against Pakistan in Napier.

Their union was the focal point of a batting reshuffle that also sees Daniel Flynn's days as a test No 3 numbered in the aftermath of yesterday's 141-run second test loss at the Basin Reserve.

Flynn and Grant Elliott, the Johannesburg-raised allrounder, will battle for a middle order role at McLean Park after the selection panel decreed seven-test opener Martin Guptill was better positioned at first drop.

Watling was enlisted as he prepared to play for Northern Districts at Auckland in tomorrow's opening round of the national one-day competition. Instead it is Peter Fulton who has domestic duties to contemplate after he was omitted from the 13-man squad.

Fulton, who owed his brief two-test revival to Jesse Ryder's continuing injury issues, headed to Christchurch today – his 42 run series aggregate at 10.5 potentially the end point of an unfulfilling 10-cap career.

Sadly the 30-year-old's series is destined to be remembered for his confusing reluctance not to subject his leg before dismissal for a duck in Dunedin to the umpire decision review system despite the ball hitting bat before pad.

Fulton could not make amends at the Basin Reserve, not that Flynn, Guptill, McIntosh and Elliott put compelling cases for retention as Pakistan breezed to a series-levelling triumph.

They were all complicit as New Zealand flopped for 99 on Friday – damage that proved irreparable.

New Zealand Cricket selector Mark Greatbatch admitted Fulton was not the only candidate destined for demotion before the panel also including Glenn Turner and captain Daniel Vettori opted against wholesale changes.

"We feel it's important to keep consistency. It'd be very easy to cut but we have to keep confidence in the group," he said.

Flynn's doggedness continues to save his skin – he occupied the crease for more than five hours in the second test, labouring to compile scores of 29 and 20.

McIntosh has fared the worst against the new ball threat of Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif, a slim 37 runs at 9.25, though his occasional stickability – his 31 in Dunedin absorbed 136 deliveries – sees the left hander retained, for now.

"We think he's got ability to bat balls," Greatbatch said.

"Yeah, he's battling like a few of the others but we think he can do a job for us."

Despite New Zealand's runmakers other than Ross Taylor failing since compiling 429 first up at University Oval – and that total was inflated by Vettori's 99 at No 8 – Greatbatch said the selectors retained a degree of faith.

"It's unacceptable but we're giving these guys the opportunity to play for New Zealand.

"It's not about last chances, it's about them taking the opportunity over the next five days to try and be the best they can be."

Watling, who relocated to New Zealand as a 10-year-old, has long been groomed as a potential international. He graduated at Twenty20 level against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates last month.

"I had a fair idea I was in the mix but you are always shocked and excited when you get the call-up," Watling said.

The diminutive strokemaker and capable wicketkeeper made his first class debut in 2004-05 and has 2155 runs at 30.35, an average boosted by his 136 against Auckland in the Plunket Shield's latest round.

Watling averages 80.33 in this season's four-day competition though as Fulton proved after scoring 172 for Canterbury days before the initial test squad was named, domestic form can soon be rendered irrelevant.

At least Watling hardly requires a stunning debut to enhance New Zealand's opening partnership statistics against a disciplined Pakistan attack.

McIntosh and Guptill's first wicket stands in Dunedin failed to register a run; in Wellington they posted one and then four from 11 balls in the second innings.

They had 12 innings together since last summer's Indian series, producing 186 runs at a measly average of 15.50, and a best of 45 against Sri Lanka at Galle in August.

Watling and McIntosh form New Zealand's 30th opening partnership in 79 tests since the turn of the century.

Only Pakistan have chosen and discarded more combinations – the incumbents Salman Butt and Imran Farhat are the 41st duo tried since 2000 and are not under threat after making a solid 60 and 49 last week.

New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (captain), Tim McIntosh, Martin Guptill, Daniel Flynn, Ross Taylor, BJ Watling, Grant Elliott, Brendon McCullum, Daryl Tuffey, Iain O'Brien, Tim Southee, Jeetan Patel, Chris Martin.

- NZPA