KEY POINTS:
Forget the first test against Australia in Brisbane: Chris Martin's eyes are firmly fixed on New Zealand's warmup game against New South Wales next week.
In these days of international saturation, tour games against state or provincial opposition are rare. If Martin had his way he'd fancy another couple on top of the New South Wales clash as he looks to get some bowling kilometres under his belt after a hamstring strain counted him out of last month's tour of Bangladesh.
The new ball spearhead, named this week as Winsor Cup winner as top bowler of the last first-class season, has a key role to play, especially at Brisbane, where the Gabba pitch traditionally delights seam bowlers.
Martin has 140 wickets in 43 tests and his 34 wickets in 10 matches last season - 23 of them in the opposing top six of the batting order - are testimony to the edge he can provide.
"I have to get a few overs under my belt and hopefully the end result will be playing in the test at Brisbane," Martin, 33, said yesterday. "There's a few guys in our side who need some cricket."
He believes the New South Wales game will be a key pointer to progress ahead of the first test, and Martin is preparing for some hard slog in the next few days.
"Physically I'm not too bad but I know I've got to put myself through a lot more pain in the next two weeks."
The New Zealand selectors have named five fast-medium bowlers for Brisbane. Recalled batsman Peter Fulton will stay home to play for Canterbury and wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins will pop across the Tasman to cover Brendon McCullum in the day leading up to the start before returning home.
Offspinner Jeetan Patel and injured allrounder Jacob Oram are the absentees from the Bangladesh tour, but Patel is likely to return when the squad is re-selected for the second test in Adelaide.
Captain Daniel Vettori cautioned against raising expectations of New Zealand's prospects based on Australia's struggles in India.
"You look at their performances at home in the last two or three years and they're still pretty outstanding," Vettori said. "We want to be confident about our chances but also go in knowing they're still the number one team in the world."
New Zealand fly to Sydney on Monday for the New South Wales match starting on Thursday. Opposing coach, Matthew Mott, is tipped to replace John Bracewell at the end of this season. The appointment is expected to be confirmed next week.
