Cricket: Kasprowicz keeps Kiwi batsmen on back foot

Reborn paceman Michael Kasprowicz is promising the New Zealand top-order batsmen another short-pitched examination when the third test starts at Eden Park on Saturday.

The man who's keeping Australian tearaway Brett Lee on the sideline this summer, Kasprowicz this week made no secret of the fact that his team had recognised New Zealand's preference for falling on to the front foot.

As a result of their suspicions, the Australian pace attack has enjoyed the upper hand throughout the tour, mainly through pushing the New Zealand batsmen back with a series of short-pitched deliveries, before penetrating with one of fuller pitch.

"We've found that over here the batsmen tend to play reasonably well on the front foot," said Kasprowicz this week.

"I don't want to give too much away, but we obviously try to test them [the New Zealanders] out on the back foot as well."

Australia's latest member of the 100-wicket club, Kasprowicz has tasted astonishing success since his career was revived last year, and has demonstrated his direct and uncompromising approach throughout the tour of New Zealand.

Before the 2004 tour of Sri Lanka, where he announced his re-emergence on the international scene, Kasprowicz had taken 47 wickets at the modest average of 37 in 17 tests.

Since then, the Queensland paceman has dismissed 53 batsmen in 15 tests at a tick under 24.50 apiece.

Adding difficulty to his assignment was the initial indifference of the Australian selectors, who - after first picking him in 1996-97, have managed to leave him out of the side for a combined total of 62 tests.

Even when he was impressing as one of the side's best bowlers this summer, he was still one of the first jettisoned when Australia opted to balance their side with all-rounder Shane Watson and spinner Stuart MacGill.

"I think every time you play there's pressure on you," he said. "Everyone who plays test cricket knows there is a lot of pressure. But it's the pressure that you place on yourself that's the key.

"I felt pressure in every game during the summer right back until I got back into the side. I guess if you're lucky enough to get picked in the side and then stay in it, then that's great."

A measure of the respect that Kasprowicz has earned from his team-mates was demonstrated by Australian skipper Ricky Ponting, who this week spoke of the team's delight at Kasprowicz's 100-wicket milestone.

"The guys who have been around for a while and know how hard he's worked and how long it's been between drinks for him, are delighted," said Ponting.

"He's been in and out of the side a lot and when you see guys who have had so many ups and downs, it's nice to see them achieve some milestones.

"He was pretty rapt with what he'd done, 100 wickets is a good milestone for him. Most of the guys are now counting their 200th or 300th and Warnie's even talking about taking 600, so there's a bit of fun going on."

Ponting said the most notable aspect of Kasprowicz's development was the dramatic change he made to his bowling style in order to better adjust to the demands of international cricket.

"If you look back at when Kasper started he was probably known as more of a swing bowler, but not any more," he said. "He's a different bowler than he was - he's probably a lot stronger and fitter now and knows more about his game now than when he first started at test level.

"He's been a great improver over the past couple of years and he's still got plenty of cricket ahead of him."