Jeff Wilson's international cricket career gets its long-awaited revival here tonight against Australia after key New Zealand allrounder Scott Styris was ruled out with a knee injury.
Styris has been troubled for the past few weeks with bruising to the bone on his left knee, and after continued soreness at training today was advised to rest.
How long Styris will be sidelined is uncertain, but his absence deals a blow to New Zealand's chances of levelling the series in the second one-day international against the world champions at Jade Stadium.
Styris' medium pacers ripped through Australia's middle order with four for 40 in the 10-run loss in Wellington on Saturday, and while he laboured to 14 with the bat he gave a hint of his potential with 66 off 39 balls in Thursday's Twenty20 match.
For Wilson the much-repeated fairytale comeback is complete, having played four one-day internationals against Australia in 1993 before embarking on a glittering All Blacks rugby career.
He returns at a time when New Zealand's pace attack is under the microscope, with Daryl Tuffey and Kyle Mills a touch off the pace in Wellington.
"It will be a big one for him, but I've got no doubt he can step up," captain Stephen Fleming said today.
"The World 11 games were important for him, in particular to get into the swing of things, and he did that pretty well."
Fleming remained irked at his side's failure to finish the job on the sluggish Westpac Stadium pitch on Saturday, chasing 237 to win and appearing well on track with 13 runs needed off 13 balls and three wickets in hand.
Man of the match Glenn McGrath and speedster Brett Lee snuffed out New Zealand's tailenders and Fleming insisted it wasn't through any psychological edge of having won nine of the past 10 trans-Tasman clashes.
The past three have been close, with New Zealand winning a thriller in Melbourne before a 15-run loss in Sydney pre-Christmas. - NZPA
"It ebbs and flows and we've got to be ebbing when the finish line comes.
"We can analyse it too much. If we'd played smarter cricket the other night we would have won... we lost it more than they won it."
Tomorrow is the critical match in the series; if New Zealand lose it would seem near impossible to win three straight to snatch the series.
"It's pretty important to square it up. We don't want to give them too big a head start."
The Jade Stadium pitch looked a traditional batsman's paradise under the Christchurch sun today, with a run fest always likely.
A quicker, bouncier pitch would seem to favour Australia but Fleming was comfortable, with his side having won their past six one-day internationals at the ground. Their last loss was to Australia in 2000, by 48 runs after they racked up 349 for six.
"We've got a good record here, we've played well against some pretty good pace attacks in Pakistan and South Africa.
"It's more batter friendly, scores are a bit higher but that doesn't put us out of the game. We hold no fear here, they're a pretty good side Australia but we have the belief on all surfaces."
Fleming and star allrounder Chris Cairns will be looked to lead from the front on their beloved Jade Stadium ? Fleming shooting for his fourth consecutive one-day century at the ground and Cairns playing his 200th match in black.
Australia have already begun their rotation policy a week into their tour, with batsman Mike Hussey and paceman Jason Gillespie replacing Simon Katich and Michael Kasprowicz tomorrow.
Gillespie will add even more steel to Australia's pace attack, which McGrath led outstandingly well with four for 16 in Wellington.
Meanwhile, Hamish Marshall's twin brother James was called in tonight as New Zealand 12th man in Styris' absence.
Teams:
New Zealand: Stephen Fleming (captain), Nathan Astle, Mathew Sinclair, Hamish Marshall, Craig McMillan, Chris Cairns, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori, Jeff Wilson, Kyle Mills, Daryl Tuffey.
Australia: Ricky Ponting (captain), Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn, Michael Clarke, Mike Hussey, Andrew Symonds, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath.
Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pakistan), Billy Bowden (New Zealand).
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Wilson in, Styris out tonight
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