Cricket: Black Caps claim Warne not a concern

ADELAIDE - New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming is losing no sleep over Shane Warne.

Fleming denies fearing that the world's leading wicket taker is on the brink of reasserting his psychological domination over the Black Caps during the second Trans-Tasman Trophy test here at the Adelaide Oval today.

Combating Warne was a key reason behind New Zealand's surprising drawn series against the world champions in 2001, where the champion legspinner was limited to just six wickets in three tests at 71.67 per scalp.

Warne overtook that tally at the Gabba last week -- with back-to-back four-wicket bags -- and can be expected to play a major role on a surface expected to suit his bag of tricks on the fourth and fifth days.

Concern that Warne, who has 82 New Zealand wickets among his world record 549, was about to spin a web around the tourists appeared justified when several young wrist spinners bowled in the nets ahead of today's toss (1.30pmNZT).

However, Fleming and Nathan Astle were quick to quash suggestions of a return to the bad old days when Warne ran amok.

"Warne got eight wickets -- six were the tail," Fleming said, when asked if Warne was jangling nerves in the tourist's camp.

Fleming may have a point as Scott Styris and the dumped Craig McMillan were his only victims among New Zealand's top six.

He also removed Jacob Oram, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori, Kyle Mills and tailender Chris Martin (twice).

Astle reiterated the 2001 series was irrelevant.

"Bowlers get wickets, we get out, it's the nature of the game.

"Whether it's Warne, (Glenn) McGrath, (Jason) Gillespie, (Michael) Kasprowicz they're going to get wickets at some stage.

"We just didn't play him as well as we did (in 2001), but it's not something we've talked about or really looked at."

Fleming said the rookie spinners' appearance was purely coincidental.

"It wasn't an SOS call, it was just help."

His Australian counterpart Ricky Ponting tended to agree with his rival.

"We do that (use spinners) in India as well. Every little bit helps. Even in Australia you don't face a lot of leg spin bowling."

Ponting, however, naturally expected his strike weapon to figure prominently.

"Later in the game it spins a lot, and if it breaks up Shane will be very hard work out there."

While Warne is the only front line spinner in an Australian side unchanged from Brisbane, Black Caps coach John Bracewell culled the fragile McMillan so Paul Wiseman can bowl in unison with Daniel Vettori.

In the other change to the side humbled in Brisbane by an innings and 156 runs, left arm fast-medium bowler James Franklin replaces Kyle Mills, who was a late replacement for the Wellingtonian after he suffered a groin strain two days before the Brisbane test.

Meanwhile, Vettori was encouraged by Indian leg spinner Anil Kumble's key, six-wicket performance against the Australians at the Adelaide Oval last summer.

India won by four wickets after Australia scored 556 in their first innings.

"Kumble got a few wickets but he bowled a lot of overs so I expect it will be pretty much the same here," Vettori said.

Vettori, who bowled admirably and was used almost as a stock bowler in the first test, took 4-154, to lift his wicket haul against Australia to 37 -- six more than he has taken against his second favourite opponent Sri Lanka.

Although he has Wiseman to share the load, Vettori said he would not change his tactics of bowling flat despite the more spin-friendly conditions expected in Adelaide.

"You've got to understand the batsmen you're playing against, and if you try to flight the ball and play like that against these batsmen, they're going to clear the ropes more often than not," he said.

"So whilst it looks nice, flighting the ball up and doing all those sorts of things, it's not the way you get Australian batsmen out. I've learnt that in the past, having success against them, so I'm not going to try anything different in this test."

- NZPA