Cricket: 'Gidday Auckland' - Brett Lee fired up

Brett Lee reached New Zealand yesterday and will turn out for Wellington in the HRV Cup today. Photo / Getty Images

Auckland will be the first team to face the biggest name among the assorted overseas imports into the domestic T20 competition when they play Wellington at the Basin Reserve today.

Former Australian test speedster Brett Lee has joined Wellington for the first match in his five-game stint.

Lee, who was on the wishlist of some high-profile commentators for a recall to the beleaguered Australian team for the third Ashes test in Perth this week, is still hopeful of getting to the World Cup in February-March as his international swansong.

That would suggest he won't be taking a holiday in New Zealand.

New Zealand ODI pair James Franklin and Grant Elliott have been cleared to play for Wellington, having returned from the dire limited-overs series loss in India late on Sunday night.

But Wellington will be without their England allrounder Luke Wright, recovering after having an abscess removed from a leg. They will also miss their third international, left-armer Andy McKay, who has been told to sit the game out.

Auckland will miss Kyle Mills and Martin Guptill for the same reason.

The Aucklanders are travelling well, sit top of the table with Northern Districts on 12 points - although with a slightly inferior net run rate, while Wellington have eight - and after today's game, head home for three games in four days at the end of this week.

They've played good cricket in patches, but know the complete performance remains to be attained. In Durban-born Colin Munro, they have an allrounder in good nick.

Munro's innings of 66 not out off 48 balls against Otago and 33 off 16 balls in the win over Canterbury were important contributions.

Some of the batting further up the order has been ordinary, but coach Paul Strang has a theory on that.

"There's a tipping point between recklessness and being fearless and sometimes learning where that line is is half the battle with the young guys," he said.