Cricket: Ponting salutes Vettori's long run at the top

Ricky Ponting knows how Daniel Vettori will be feeling about playing his 100th test match. Photo / Getty Images

There will be much ado about something today as Daniel Vettori brings up a century of test matches in front of friends and family, but his opposite number has been there, done that.

Ricky Ponting, he of 143 tests and 11,900 runs, knows all the emotions and expectation Vettori will be feeling.

"For someone to play 100 test matches is a great feat, I know when I brought up that milestone it was one of the things I was most proud of, to have that longevity," Ponting said before the Hamilton test.

"Congratulations to him for achieving it, and being captain and being one of the leading players in the world.

"Obviously his career has been very good and, listening to him, he still has a few more things he wants to tick off. Once he is finished he will be [known as] one of the great servants of New Zealand cricket."

It's best to get these kind thoughts out of the way early because when the clock ticks 11am Australia will do everything in their power to keep their collective foot on the throat of an opponent that caused them few problems in Wellington.

Australian teams aren't big on largesse, especially when an Ashes series is already beginning to loom large on their horizon.

"Every test we play, it's important we make statements," Ponting said. "Inconsistency is something that plagued us 12-18 months ago. During the Australian summer and the start of this series we have played some very consistent cricket but we all know how quickly it can change.

"To confront those [weather] conditions last week was good for us."

Ponting recognised there was a soft underbelly in the home side ready to be exposed.

The instability around the top three, saying the No 3 spot was a "big spot" in the line-up and "they were probably thinking about a few different scenarios" in that position, he said.

"Some of their state sides are depleted with injuries and that tends to have an effect on the national side.

"Guys like [Peter] Ingram and [BJ] Watling, they will go through their ups and downs and it will be interesting to see how they react. [Mathew] Sinclair hasn't played a test for a couple of years so it depends whether they want to go that way or stick with guys they've given an opportunity to.

"For us, we've got pretty good plans in place for their players, we learned a bit more about their players last week, so whichever way they happen to go with their selection, we will handle it well." While New Zealand waits for the introduction of Kane Williamson into test cricket, Australians are doing likewise with young New South Wales allrounder Steven Smith.

Ponting said he would wait until the morning of the test to see if it looked like it would suit his legspin, but the chances are there will be one change only, with Shane Watson replacing Phil Hughes, who is fresh off an 86 not out at Wellington.

Fast bowlers Mitchell Johnson, Doug Bollinger and Ryan Harris, who carried a huge burden across four days at the Basin, had been given a couple of days off but none has pulled up lame.