McCullum threat looms

It's not only the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy but international credibility that New Zealand's cricketers crave as the much-awaited one-day series begins in Napier today.
After an even duel with Pakistan then a clean sweep against lowly Bangladesh, New Zealand's players and fans have long held their breath for Australia's arrival with the trophy they've held for the past two series.
It should have been New Zealand's a year ago in Brisbane, but Martin Guptill was halted in full flight by rain and the hosts retained the spoils with a 2-2 scoreline.
So far this summer, Australia swept aside Pakistan and West Indies in one-dayers to extend their lead as world No1, while New Zealand are ranked fourth.
Overall it's a tantalising 7-7 in the short Chappell-Hadlee history and New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori acknowledged the team needed to deliver.
"Everyone's excited about playing Australia at home. Three months ago that's all anyone was talking about," he said.
"It means a lot to us and it's basically our credibility within world cricket if we can step up against these guys and play well and win, then people will respect us as a team. If we roll over then our summer's been a disappointment."
The appetisers were tasty, with a combined 47,000 fans flocking to Wellington and Christchurch for the two Twenty20 contests, New Zealand winning the last of them on Sunday thanks to Brendon McCullum's blasting and paceman Tim Southee's cool head.
That ensured New Zealand expectations would lift for the five-match one-day series squeezed into 11 days, although the odds-setters don't agree, posting Australia at $1.37 to New Zealand's $2.90 for the opening game.
Vettori said McCullum, Southee and Shane Bond - fizzing with a one-day record of 35 Australian wickets at an average of 14.45 - would go in confident.
While Sunday's win provided a "feelgood factor", he hoped it had not papered over the disappointing facets of their game.
Vettori denied McCullum was too big an influence on New Zealand's fortunes after his 56-ball 116 in Christchurch, saying Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor were their best-performing one-day batsmen of the past year.
He suggested late recall Scott Styris and spinner Nathan McCullum would be rested,  to retain the same one-day batting line-up they used against Bangladesh.
That means Peter Ingram, Neil Broom and James Franklin get a chance to perform in the top six, while all-rounder Jacob Oram will remain in the lower order to try and regain some form.
Bond and Southee will likely be joined by paceman Daryl Tuffey on a typical McLean Park pitch that suggests a 300-plus contest.
"I don't think there's any surprises when you come to Napier, we know it's going to be a high-scoring game and in the end it's the bowlers that turn up and bowl the best who can actually execute, particularly in the latter stages and the power play overs."
Australia front with a formidable top six, bolstered by returning captain Ricky Ponting, but their pace attack does not hold the fear of the past with Doug Bollinger, Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris and Clint McKay.
Ponting watched Sunday's game on television and said countering McCullum was a top priority. "There has been a bit of talk around the boys in the last couple of days about Brendon's innings but I'll be surprised if he plays that sort of way in the 50-over game," Ponting said.
"The way he played the other night was pretty much down having to do that because of the format. He'll feel a bit more responsibility being one of their more experienced players and their batters in the best form so he'll put it on himself to bat for longer periods of time.
"We know we have to give the Kiwis a lot of attention because they're a very good one-day outfit and they have some matchwinners in their side."
 New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (captain), Brendon McCullum, Peter Ingram, Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Neil Broom, James Franklin, Jacob Oram, Daryl Tuffey, Tim Southee, Shane Bond, Nathan McCullum, Scott Styris (two to be omitted).
Australia: Ricky Ponting (captain), Shane Watson, Brad Haddin, Michael Clarke, Cameron White, Michael Hussey, Adam Voges, James Hopes, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz, Ryan Harris, Doug Bollinger, Clint McKay (two to be omitted).NZPA