Dylan Cleaver: NZ line up missing left-handed weapon

Martin Guptill. Photo / Christine Cornege

Australia have got more on their mind at present than the configuration of New Zealand's batting order, but when they turn their attention from the Wanderers to the Gabba, they might afford themselves a smile.

Missing from New Zealand's line-up is the one piece of a batting puzzle Australia have struggled with more than anything else in recent seasons - a left-handed opener.

Take it as read that John Wright will scratch into the scorebook the following names in roughly this order: Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Jesse Ryder, Dean Brownlie, Daniel Vettori, Reece Young, then the bowlers.

There's very little you can argue about there. You could flip Williamson and Ryder around, but fresh off a double of 49 and 68 in the only test in Zimbabwe and an unbeaten 284 in the Plunket Shield, the young Northern Districts' batsman looks every bit a first drop.

You could also make a sketchy case for James Franklin to bat No 6 and give the side an extra left-arm seam bowling option, but Brownlie did enough in Zimbabwe to earn another shot. Given that Franklin missed the squad of 13 - there is scope to add an extra player - and the central contracts list of 20, it is becoming apparent he's not Wright's cup of chai.

So it's an entirely predictable, potentially explosive batting line-up. Apart from Ryder, they're all in form (to all the McCullum detractors, his blip against Zimbabwe has dropped his average as a test opener to53.1).

Yet it looks unbalanced. Granted, you can't pick inferior players for the sake of it, but left-handed openers have enjoyed so much success, both for and against Australia in Australia, that you feel naked without one.

When he named his team to cross the Tasman, Wright, who knew one or two things about being a southpaw facing the new ball, paid tribute to England's leftie.

"The batting of Alastair Cook was exemplary at the top of the order. He's very patient. Played very straight," Wright said.

Last season Cook scored 766 runs at an average of 127.6. It was a performance that defied belief, but he was just the latest in a line of left-handed openers to trouble Australia's attack.

When you're facing a predominantly right-arm attack, lefties find it easier to let the ball go with the angle.

It's not like opening with right-handers guarantees you're going to be 20-2, but life can be a bittougher.

Wright is insisting on his batsmen standing up and being brave.

Guptill and McCullum are going to have to be all that and pretty damn skilful too, seeing as they're standing on the wrong side of the bat.