KEY POINTS:
Stay loyal or pick on current form. That philosophical issue will be a key part of discussions when the national selectors have a conference call today to choose their 13 for next week's first test against Bangladesh at Dunedin's University Oval.
Wellington opener Matthew Bell and Auckland seamer Andre Adams are the twin focal points of the argument.
First Bell. The chief order of business for the selectors - coach John Bracewell, Sir Richard Hadlee, Glenn Turner and Dion Nash - will be the top of the batting order. If it is form they want they should look outside the ODI squad and recall Bell to open his first test since November, 2001.
It is six tests since the last New Zealand test century - by James Franklin at Cape Town in May last year.
"Where are our hundreds?" Hadlee asked plaintively this week.
Sitting in Bell's back pocket for starters. The Wellington 30-year-old was in spanking form in the four State Championship rounds before Christmas, bagging scores of 81, 22, 83, 18, 33, 188 not out, 32 and 265 - 722 runs at an average of 103.
There is always a strong case for picking players when they are on their game. Bell rings loudly on that score, plus he's a decidedly more mature player than when last in the national side, during which he played 13 tests, averaging 22. The counter argument is sure to be aired - that the standard of State Championship bowling is mediocre, therefore lessening Bell's achievements.
Then there's the loyalty aspect - or more accurately the case for giving players a decent chance to settle into the job. If that holds sway, Bell will be overlooked, at least until England arrive. Then he may get his chance only if those chosen against Bangladesh have flopped.
However he will have been playing a stack of one-dayers for Wellington between now and then, which negates the point of picking on first-class form for a first-class assignment.
Michael Papps and Craig Cumming opened in the two tests in South Africa last month.
Papps' form was dreadful. Cumming had no luck, getting his jaw cracked when going well on 48 in the second test. He's had a handful of innings since then. His gritty resolve appeals to the panel, or at least some of them.
Jamie How got good runs in South Africa in the ODIs, plus a solid double of 88 and 74 against Bangladesh in the first two ODIs this week. He's averaging 46 in his last eight ODI innings.
His first six tests produced an ordinary 131 runs at 14.55 but he appeals as a solid, unflashy type and in decent touch.
One whisper doing the rounds this week was that the some of the selectors fancied Mathew Sinclair as an opener.
This might be news to Sinclair, another who can point to a domestic double century before being shipped across to South Africa as a replacement, and taking his chance impressively in the ODIs there.
Either Sinclair or Ross Taylor will miss out. Taylor's test form in South Africa was poor; but he was there in the first place. Sinclair arrived as an ODI replacement, which might give a hint on the selectors' thinking on the pair at the moment.
And Adams? His form for Auckland in the championship is compelling - 29 wickets at a stunning 8.27 runs each. The next best is 17 wickets.
But Adams, whose only test produced six wickets against England six seasons ago, has committed a mortal sin, dissing the coach in public.
Applying the Bell principle though - both the pro and anti perspective - the selectors must also talk long and hard about him.
Of the other fast-medium candidates, Kyle Mills, Chris Martin, Mark Gillespie - depending on the severity of a left shoulder injury he picked up in his only over yesterday - and Iain O'Brien are the frontrunners.
A second spinner is unlikely to be needed at the green University Oval.
LIKELY 13
Possible New Zealand 13 for the first test: Daniel Vettori (c), Jamie How, Craig Cumming, Peter Fulton, Stephen Fleming, Scott Styris, Ross Taylor, Jacob Oram, Brendon McCullum, Kyle Mills, Mark Gillespie, Chris Martin, Iain O'Brien.
