New Zealand captain Ross Taylor knows his side must deliver a strong attack against Australia today. Photo / Getty Images
New Zealand face a quandary when the second test starts against Australia today.
Sometimes the choice at the toss is clearcut. Not so at Bellerive Oval.
New Zealand must attack and are likely to be staring at a distinctly green strip when the umpires walk out today.
On Wednesday the pitch was barely discernable from the outfield; yesterday it was merely bright green.
New Zealand captain Ross Taylor avoided the question of whether, given the choice, batting or bowling first would be the more attacking option.
He maintained the batting debacles at Brisbane in the nine-wicket first test loss would not affect his call. Backing his batsmen is paramount, was the gist of his view.
But he might do well to heed his rival Michael Clarke's thoughts yesterday. Australia bat first nine times out of 10, think about bowling on the 10th occasion - then bat anyway. That is the Australian way.
"For me it's more about looking up than looking down," Clarke said, admitting the pitch has more grass on it than he'd ever seen in Hobart.
"If the wicket doesn't change much and it's still a little tacky [this morning] and there's overhead conditions there's a big chance I'll bowl first."
Either way, New Zealand's biggest issue is likely to be up top, rather than in technical terms.
Memories of their lame batting in both innings at Brisbane are sharp and painful. They have been working hard to overcome the desire to reach out for the swinging ball, to oblige the Australian seamers to come to them.
How they've gone about repairing the mental scars from the Gabba will count for plenty.
Whether they can tune themselves into a state of mind that they really can compete with Australia is the key. The players say self-belief remains strong; we'll find out shortly.
Taylor knows he needs a big game, after a double failure - and two poor strokes - at Brisbane.
Before the series began, he had talked of the importance of scrapping hard. Last week the bowlers generally toiled well with little luck, the fielding was poor, the batting abysmal.
"We didn't show as much fight as we would have liked," Taylor said yesterday.
"That was the disappointing thing about it. Any loss is disappointing, but that hit home a little harder than some other losses we've had."
Taylor might figure attacking with the ball might be the better move on two counts: the conditions might dictate that's the best option anyway, and he'll shudder at the thought of being 96 for five again.
The batsmen will be up against seamers with their tails up, particularly James Pattinson, who ripped the head off New Zealand's second innings with his lively outswing.
Australia have chosen the same XI; Taylor suggested New Zealand will do the same.
Seamers Chris Martin, Doug Bracewell and Tim Southee had their moments in Brisbane - Martin was the pick - but not consistently.
However Martin did winkle out troubled Australian opener Phil Hughes for 10 and seven. The door is ajar at the top of their order for New Zealand to probe.
Indeed if they are searching for positive strands, they should remember Australia were 91 for three in their first innings, responding to 295. It was very much game on at that point.
Batsmen can expect an awkward opening day. The line on Bellerive Oval has traditionally been of a batting haven. But of late there has been more help for seamers and a tendency for the game to become tricky for batsmen in the latter stages of four-day domestic matches.
New Zealand's three visits here have produced one draw, in 2001, and two thumping defeats in the 1990s.
AUSTRALIA V NZ
Second test, Hobart, from 12.30pm (NZT)
Australia: Michael Clarke (c), Phil Hughes, David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Ricky Ponting, Mike Hussey, Brad Haddin, Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon.
New Zealand: (likely) Ross Taylor (c), Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Jesse Ryder, Dean Brownlie, Dan Vettori, Reece Young, Doug Bracewell, Tim Southee, Chris Martin.
The 22-year-old's selection is about so much more than just statistics.