Cricket: Conditions whet pacemen's appetites

Rival fast bowlers Shane Bond and Fidel Edwards are poised to shoulder the lion's share of the responsibility when the first test between New Zealand and the West Indies begins this morning at Eden Park.

Depending on which way the coin falls, one of the pacemen is expected to find conditions to his liking after a humid and showery build-up to the test, and the prospect of another drop-in pitch that challenges the batsmen.

Bond, who came back from a career-threatening injury last winter, has started to rediscover his former zip and pace and is viewed as the most dangerous threat to West Indies left-handers Brian Lara, Shiv Chanderpaul and Chris Gayle.

Gayle, in particular, has struggled against Bond's late swing this summer, particularly as he hovers on the back foot most of the time, and both Lara and Chanderpaul will also have to guard against the ball that leaves them.

On the other hand, should the West Indies bowl first the New Zealand batting line-up is certain to come in for a testing time against Edwards, who has already left his mark on the craniums of Stephen Fleming and Nathan Astle.

A fast bowler who seems to be operating two or three clicks above the pace of Bond, Edwards will be primed to attack a New Zealand top-order that has been justified in theory, but has yet to be tested in practice.

Hamish Marshall will open for the first time, alongside debutante Jamie How, and No 3 Peter Fulton will also be playing in his first test.

Lara has already pointed out his team's intention to target the new top-order, but Fleming said yesterday that the players chosen for the job were capable and rejected the suggestion they were being fed to the wolves.

"No, I'm not worried because there's enough experience throughout our side," he said. "We're excited about the opportunities the guys are going to get at the top.

"It hasn't really been a strong area for us, we haven't been strong at 1, 2 and 3 for some time - so we're hopeful that these guys will make a fist of it."

He said the biggest challenge facing New Zealand today was the task of adjusting from 22 consecutive one-day games in the space of eight months, to the more disciplined and patient style required in the five-day arena.

A lot of the concern had already been addressed at practice, but Fleming said it would not be until individual players were placed under genuine test match conditions that the results would be evident.

"It's a massive challenge, given the break," he said. "Our practices have been geared up to making that change, but we won't know anything until our guys have to play out a couple of maidens in a row."

On a different note, Fleming said the team had been very aware of this week's anniversary of New Zealand's first test win, posted 50 years ago against the West Indies at Eden Park.

A day after Lara had reminded New Zealanders of what he perceived as the West Indies' greater legacy, Fleming said all the players in the squad were extremely proud of their predecessors, and of the special events that underpinned their history.

"We do look at our history closely and this is one that we're taking special note of," he said. "The game [50 years ago] announced our arrival into the test world, and we're very proud of that date.

"It has special significance, and it's been in our minds over the past few days. I'm massively proud of where New Zealand's come from and that's been one of the theme's within our squad - to try to add to the history.

"We often incorporate former players in what we do just to remember and honour what they've done."

First test

NZ v West Indies, Eden Park, starting 10.30am today

Umpires: Daryl Harper, Rudi Koertzen.

New Zealand: Stephen Fleming (c), Jamie How, Hamish Marshall, Peter Fulton, Nathan Astle, Scott Styris, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori, James Franklin, Shane Bond, Chris Martin, Kyle Mills, Jeetan Patel.

West Indies: Shiv Chanderpaul (c), Chris Gayle, Daren Ganga, Brian Lara, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Runako Morton, Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith, Denesh Ramdin, Jerome Taylor, Ian Bradshaw, Rawl Lewis, Fidel Edwards, Daren Powell.