KEY POINTS:
SYDNEY - He's under the most pressure of his captaincy career and the New Zealand cricket team see Ricky Ponting as the key to their chances of an Australian boilover.
Ponting arrived home from India this week under fire from media and cricketing public after his decision to
use part-time bowlers and avoid suspension for slow over rates rather than go all-out for victory in the fourth test in Nagpur.
Smarting from a 0-2 series defeat in India, Ponting will regroup with his side in Brisbane next week to try and bounce back against New Zealand in Thursday's first test.
On arrival home, a defiant Ponting batted away the critics and predicted his world No 1 side would win all five home tests this summer against seventh-ranked New Zealand and South Africa.
New Zealand paceman Chris Martin, who will lead a likely four-pronged pace attack on the hard and fast Brisbane surface, said Ponting's wicket remained the key for the tourists.
"He's the guy who has the grit and determination for everyone to bat around. He doesn't do it every time but there's always someone there to back him up as well," Martin said.
"He is the linchpin of their batting order and he can either grind it out or take the game away from you just as quickly. He's a great opponent, you have to raise your game which is the most exciting prospect for all of us."
Statistics back that up, with Ponting averaging 73.45 from 11 tests against New Zealand, including 105 and 86 not out in their previous meeting in Auckland in 2005.
While Martin was relishing the challenge of bowling to Ponting again, he was unsure whether the recent Indian furore would have any effect on the premier batsman's mental state.
"I think he's been through tougher times. I don't know exactly how he's feeling, he got some pretty good deliveries in India, so fair play to them."
Last time Martin was in Australia on a test tour, the Black Caps suffered heavy defeats in Brisbane and Adelaide four years ago.
While the tourists are arguably no stronger this time, it's clear the hosts aren't the all-conquering force they were in the mid-2000s.
There's three reasons for the Black Caps to be slightly more optimistic: the absences of Shane Warne (103 test wickets against New Zealand at 24.37), Glenn McGrath (57 wickets at 25.33) and Adam Gilchrist (923 runs at 76.91).
Warne's and McGrath's absences would offer some encouragement to New Zealand's young batting lineup of whom Aaron Redmond, Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor and Daniel Flynn are in their first year of test cricket.
"When you lose two once in a generation players who have bowled in tandem so well together, you're going to feel a bit of a hole there for a while," Martin said.
"Winning cricket and taking 20 wickets might not come as easy, which has perhaps made the Australian side beatable, but also you have to play extremely well to beat them.
"In the past perhaps you could play extremely well and still lose, I think that's the only thing that's changed really."
- NZPA
