KEY POINTS:
Five words from New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori yesterday cranked up the tension ahead of the opening Chappell-Hadlee series match at Adelaide Oval today.
Vettori was asked whether the New Zealand team had any reservations about the bowling action of slingy Australian speedster Shaun Tait, who produced a devastating burst in Tuesday night's Twenty20 international in Perth.
After a long pause, Vettori said: "You ask Braces that one," referring to New Zealand coach John Bracewell.
For the reaction to that, think large rock and mill pond.
Pressed, Vettori said he had not spent much time studying Tait's action, and had faced him for only two deliveries in Perth.
"People are going to speculate whenever someone bowls fast," he said. "It's always the first thing people look at. It's up to people who are able to comment on it to comment."
But Bracewell was not talking yesterday.
It's the first time there has been any suggestion of something fishy in Tait's action.
Match referee, former Sri Lankan batsman Roshan Mahanama, played a straight bat.
"It's not come up for discussion at all. There are no official concerns," he said. "We'll go with an open mind into tomorrow's game. There is a process in place and if there is a problem [the umpires] will follow that process."
New Zealand team spokesman Steve Addison said it was a matter for Mahanama, not New Zealand Cricket, or the New Zealand squad to talk about.
Tait, dubbed "Wild Thing" in the best Aussie tearaway tradition, has been quick to put the verbal heat on the New Zealand batsmen too.
"There were a couple of times a couple of their lads were uncomfortable. The speed camera wasn't on, which was disappointing, but it was as quick as I've bowled," the 24-year-old South Australian said ahead of his debut game for Australia on his home ground.
Told that Tait was talking up the fear factor among the New Zealand batsmen, Vettori dispensed a dose of realism.
"It's obviously his own opinion and he's coming off one four-over spell," Vettori said. "He's got to bowl 10 overs on a wicket probably a bit slower than the Waca and we hope we can show him we can play him."
But Vettori also acknowledged Tait and the equally rapid Brett Lee - who might miss today's game with a viral complaint - were impressive in Perth.
"They bowled fast, over 150km/h and every time someone like that steps up people take notice. But it's not so much bowling fast as bowling well and that's what he and Lee did the other night. You can bowl as fast as you want but if you bowl rubbish it's no good."
Australian captain Ricky Ponting reckoned any top order would struggle when Lee and Tait are in top gear and New Zealand are no more susceptible to extreme pace than other teams.
"If you've got Lee and Tait firing on all cylinders I don't care who they're bowling to, they're going to be dangerous. If those guys get it right they'll knock any top order over."
And Ponting still expected New Zealand to be formidable, despite getting pounded in Perth.
"Cricket's that sort of game. You can be made to look a fool one day, then come out and look a million dollars the next."
Ponting hinted yesterday one of his fast men, either Mitchell Johnson or Nathan Bracken, might sit today's match out to get some variety into the bowling attack.
New Zealand won't finalise their lineup until today, but the chances are it will be unchanged from Perth.
