Cricket: Eight keys for New Zealand

1. Get in the Aussies' faces

And this doesn't mean over-cooking the verbals. More like standing your ground if the Australians start cranking up the volume. Let them sense you're not up for the contest and they will put their tramping boots on.

2. Target the skipper

Okay, easier said than done. The Aussies have talked of this in the past, wherein they have sought to cut the opposing captain down to size. The argument goes that if he is struggling, that feeling of unease can permeate the team. Ponting - test average 55.67, 39 hundreds, ODI average 43.24, 29 tons - is a bit special. Against New Zealand, those averages rise to 64.85 and 48.51 respectively, so he likes New Zealand in the worst kind of way. But at different stages, Pakistan and the West Indies both enjoyed more success against him this summer than they might have expected.

3. Be positive

Fluffing around looking to hang on is not a policy with much chance of success. Try to turn some heat back on the overwhelming favourites. Australia can get twitchy with the rest of the cricket world if the right buttons are pushed.

4. Devise plans for each batsman and stick to them

You could add the word "rigidly" as well. There's no point having schemes if the bowlers can't remember their lines. The first-innings bowling against Bangladesh in the Hamilton test last week was a fine example of what not to do. Serve up some of the tripe of that innings and the tour will quickly go off the rails. For the most part, Australian batsmen don't relish being pegged down. Persuade them to take risks. Doing that means attention to detail.

5. Banish thoughts of inferiority

Remember that the Pakistani and West Indies teams who have been carved up across the Tasman this summer weren't much chop (and yes, what does that say about New Zealand's 1-1 draw with the Pakistanis before Christmas?). So there's no need to be tugging the forelock against the mighty giants in green and gold. There have been far stronger Australian sides here than this.

6. Start well

And that means in the opening Twenty20 contests in Wellington tonight and Christchurch two days later. New Zealand must get themselves into the tour from the off. Back-to-back clunkings will give the tourists all the early momentum. Remember this is the fag-end of a long season. You think they'd rather have their feet up back home or be over here?

7. The big players must stand tall

So look for captain Dan Vettori, key batsmen Ross Taylor and Martin Guptill, Jacob Oram, wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum, a player with a very Australian attitude, and, in the limited-overs games, Shane Bond to be key figures. New Zealand's successes down the years have generally come through all sleeves being rolled up, all hands doing their bit. It's no different now, but if the senior figures don't deliver, this could all end in tears.

8. Field out of your skins

Sounds simple, but it is one way in which Australia's batsmen can be made to work for their runs. New Zealand can bet it will be done to them, and in the likes of Taylor, Guptill, Neil Broom and Nathan McCullum, they have fleet-footed, sure-handed movers in the field.