Cricket: Vettori to be shown respect

Vettori will be accorded the same respect reserved for Sri Lankan ace Muttiah Muralitharan.

Australia's batsmen plan to keep spinner Daniel Vettori at bay and instead look to plunder his New Zealand teammates when the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy one-day series resumes at the Sydney Cricket Ground today.

After a test series where respect for the well beaten tourists was hard to detect, captain Ricky Ponting was fulsome in his praise for Vettori as his side strive to ensure the three-match series goes the distance.

Vettori will be accorded the same respect reserved for Sri Lankan ace Muttiah Muralitharan as the world champions seek to blunt his effectiveness rather than take him on.

The bespectacled left-armer was a pivotal figure in New Zealand's four-wicket victory in the opening game at Melbourne on Sunday.

Australia were racing towards a 300-plus score in Melbourne but lost four for 10 as Vettori claimed the key wickets of Ponting, Damien Martyn and Andrew Symonds.

By claiming three for 31 from his 10 overs, Vettori helped restrict the Australians to 246 for nine, a minor miracle given Adam Gilchrist's electrifying start.

With the SCG pitch expected to play slow and favour spin, Ponting acknowledged negating Vettori would go some way to his side levelling the series.

"He's a quality bowler in both forms of the game and he certainly bowled beautifully the other night -- he's bowled well right through this tour so far," Ponting said.

"He varies his pace well and he turns the ball just enough -- that SCG wicket will suit him so it's up to us to make sure we don't give him our wickets.

"If we can get through his 10 overs without being too aggressive and without giving him too many wickets we should score freely off the other guys."

Australia have adopted similar tactics in the past when Muralitharan has sought to bamboozle the world champions' top order.

Ponting also praised the "sensible" innings of Hamish Marshall, whose 50 off 52 got the New Zealanders home, with the support of Brendon McCullum, with two balls to spare.

"I hadn't seen much of Marshall but he played well and took his chances. We've always known McCullum was a danger -- he did a similar job against us in India last year," Ponting said in reference to the wicketkeeper's 51 off 47 balls in a losing effort at Pune.

Ponting also expected 249-game veteran Chris Harris to provide some headaches with his leg-cutters after the allrounder was included in a 12-strong squad by coach John Bracewell last night.

Harris is expected to play at the expense of faster bowlers Kyle Mills or Ian Butler depending on the weather conditions.

"The wicket looks low and slow but the weather may also play a part and dictate which combination we use," Bracewell said.

"If we do make a change it will be tough on the guy we leave out because Kyle was unlucky (in Melbourne) not to get Matthew Hayden early while Ian Butler did a fine job at the death."

Ponting indicated spinner Brad Hogg could miss out if the surface was damp but he was more concerned about getting his side back on track.

"We've got some hard work to do now. It's always hard work changing the momentum in cricket.

"New Zealand have some momentum out of the last game and they'll be pretty confident."

Fleming, meanwhile, was hopeful of continuing a run that has seen his side chalk up 17 wins from 21 one-day matches, including two no results.

"Backing up performances isn't the problem it used to be," he said.

"Our performances against Pakistan and South Africa at home this year (10 wins-two losses) were positive and through the Nat West Trophy (in England in July) we didn't drop a game.

"That's an important development though I guess you're always measured in these tournaments by your next game and we have to prove that again."

The game starts at 4.15pm today (NZ time).

Australia: Ricky Ponting (captain), Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn, Darren Lehmann, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Simon Katich, Shane Watson, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath (two to be omitted).

New Zealand: Stephen Fleming (captain), Nathan Astle, Mathew Sinclair, Scott Styris, Hamish Marshall, Chris Cairns, Jacob Oram, Brendon McCullum, Chris Harris, Daniel Vettori, Kyle Mills, Ian Butler, (one to be omitted).

- NZPA