Cricket: Bowlers in for a rough ride in Australia

By RICHARD BOOCK

New Zealand's test bowling attack has comfortably edged out the side's batting line-up as the biggest concern for the summer.

After a day in which an unchanged squad was announced for this month's test series in Australia, New Zealand's penetration with the ball is starting to attract attention for all the wrong reasons.

With Shane Bond and Daryl Tuffey unavailable, New Zealand will be without their two most capable pace bowlers for the short tour, thrusting huge responsibility on to the less-established quartet of James Franklin, Ian Butler, Chris Martin and Kyle Mills.

It's hard to imagine the Australian batsmen suffering from panic attacks in the lead-up to the series, once they discover who will be charging in against them in the first test at Brisbane and the second at the Adelaide Oval.

For all the promise they might have shown, Franklin and Martin have patchy memories of their previous visit to Australia, and Butler and Mills have yet to experience the difficulties of toiling against the world champions in their own backyard.

The only proven threat to the Australians will come from left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori, who took 12 wickets against them at Auckland in 2000, and also snared five and six-wicket bags during a reciprocal visit two years later.

Selection manager Sir Richard Hadlee said yesterday that Tuffey might be considered for the three one-day internationals in Australia next month, but was not ready to return for the tests.

"He will play in some games for the New Zealand Academy starting tomorrow, and continue his slow build-up," Hadlee said.

"All going well we will be able to reassess his position in time for the three-match Chappell-Hadlee one-day series in Australia."

Apart from the questions over the bowling attack, the main features of the squad were the retention of Mathew Sinclair as Mark Richardson's opening partner, and the preference of Hamish Marshall over Craig McMillan.

Sinclair was picked for the Bangladesh tour only after Michael Papps suffered a shoulder injury, but had the momentum and match practice to make the decision a straightforward one for coach John Bracewell.

For all that, the makeshift opener faces a huge task against an Australian attack that has made his life a misery in the past, dismissing him on 11 occasions for a total of 141 runs at 12.81.

"With Michael Papps injured, we have confidence in Mathew Sinclair and it makes sense for him to open the innings," Hadlee said.

As predicted, Paul Wiseman tied down the second spinner's position, largely on the basis that he will be needed at Adelaide, where the pitch contains little pace or bounce, but occasionally offers some turn.

The squad will again be managed by Ross Dykes, who has been substituting in the role to allow Lindsay Crocker time to recover from a bout of surgery. It's expected that Crocker will be ready to rejoin the side for the home internationals against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

New Zealand line-up: Stephen Fleming (captain), Mark Richardson, Mathew Sinclair, Nathan Astle, Scott Styris, Hamish Marshall, Jacob Oram, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori, James Franklin, Ian Butler, Chris Martin, Paul Wiseman, Kyle Mills.