Cricket: Taylor confident bowling depth can deal with Zimbabwe

Ross Taylor. File photo / Christine Cornege

New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor believes he has the bowling depth to take 20 wickets in his side's one-off test against Zimbabwe.

New Zealand entered the game light on bowlers, with veteran Chris Martin, debutant Doug Bracewell and spinners Jeetan Patel and Daniel Vettori sharing the load.

Long-time fringe player Graeme Aldridge was left to carry the drinks in favour of an extra batsman, while injury robbed the Kiwis of seamer Kyle Mills (groin) and Jesse Ryder (calf), who offers handy medium pace. Tim Southee and Hamish Bennett missed the tour through injury.

Batsmen Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill shape as likely contenders to at least fill in a few overs to give the frontline bowlers a break in the hot conditions on a flat pitch.

"I think their first innings is key. If we can bowl them out for as cheap as possible in the first innings, it will help us out a lot more in the fourth innings. We know we've got the bowlers and if we can chip in and take a few chances then, all going well, we can even have a bat at the end of day three," said Taylor.

New Zealand were set to pile on a massive total in their first innings when they began the second day on 275-3. Taylor was dismissed in the second over of the morning without adding to his overnight score of 76.

"We pushed on there during the middle," Taylor said. "I was disappointed in myself. I was in the best position, I think, to go on and get three figures. To get out in the second over lost a lot of momentum for the team after all the hard work we put in yesterday, but that's cricket."

New Zealand's middle order all contributed valuable runs, including a knock of 63 from debutant Dean Brownlie, but nobody except opener Martin Guptill posted three figures.

There will be considerable interest in Brownlie's development, after the Canterbury middle order batsman was picked for New Zealand after only two seasons of playing domestic cricket.

New Zealand's total of 426 was probably about 70-80 runs short of the mark, although Taylor said he would have been happy with 475.

This test is the last before they meet Australia in a two-test series next month and is a vital lead-up. The team's ability to score quick runs will be pivotal. The onus will then be on the bowlers to take another 10 wickets. "There's still a long way to go in this series and, when we do get another opportunity to bat again [we will] put the heavy roller on and break this wicket up as much as possible," Taylor said.

Zimbabwe ended day two with opener Vusi Sibanda unbeaten on 53, his second test-match half-century, and Hamilton Masakadza not out on 22.