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BRISBANE - It used to be his favourite game, but New Zealand cricket coach John Bracewell was going nowhere near any Aussie-baiting today.
The task of lifting a young test side, ranked seventh in the world, to challenge the world No 1 on a seaming Gabba pitch on Thursday appeared more than enough without providing further ammunition.
Bracewell has delighted and/or baffled the Australian media on past tours; accusing the Gabba curator of switching the match pitch at late notice, suggesting Channel Nine tampered with the speed gun and Hawk-Eye replay technology depending on which team were bowling, then last summer inferring there was something sinister behind Australia's wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist being "rested" mid-series.
But when an Australian cricket writer offered the chance to needle captain Ricky Ponting's team over their 0-2 series defeat in India, Bracewell couldn't have played a straighter bat.
Reporter: "Other coaches said they took a bit of perverse pleasure in seeing Australia cop it."
Bracewell: "Did they really? That surprises me."
Reporter: "Did you?"
Bracewell: "It wasn't perverse. I was looking more at the Indian side. We face them at the end of the year and there's probably a slight nervousness at their emergence."
Reporter: "So you're not going to throw us a bone about Australia?"
Bracewell: "No."
There's plenty for Bracewell and captain Daniel Vettori to do in the next two days as their batsmen try to recover from a poor dress rehearsal, a six-wicket defeat to New South Wales.
While Australia may be under some pressure - in the words of former captain Steve Waugh, "mentally fatigued" - after India, New Zealand's mental state was the only thing occupying Bracewell.
"A win against any Australian side is precious, it's our Everest, and the guys are looking forward to it," he said.
"They're rightly nervous and at times anxious because that's what you get when you face your biggest challenge in cricket, and I'm not discouraging that.
"We're just trying to get the butterflies flying in the right order, and in formation."
Bracewell admitted those nerves wouldn't have eased after watching Australia's India struggles, instead it made them more dangerous on home soil.
He, Vettori and fellow tour selector Brendon McCullum will likely drop one of the four pacemen who played in Sydney, and bring in batsman Peter Fulton, or perhaps allrounder Grant Elliott depending on the pitch.
Youngster Tim Southee may be the unlucky one despite his ability to bowl a handy outswinger.
Senior paceman Kyle Mills welcomed the damp Brisbane conditions and with more heavy rain forecast, he hoped the cloud cover would signal some welcome swing for him and new ball partner Chris Martin.
The dead SCG pitch offered little for the bowlers, while the Gabba is expected to be fast, bouncy and offer seam movement as the wet weather continues.
Mills said there was respect rather than fear among a new-look New Zealand squad.
Of the 11 who played in Sydney, there were 165 test caps between Vettori, McCullum and Martin and 64 between the rest.
"The one positive is there's not too many battle scars from playing Australia, within the team. There's some fresh new faces who haven't been exposed to them before," Mills said.
"The new guys always have an element of confidence around them. It's nice having that feel within the team."
- NZPA
