NZ v Australia
Eden Park, noon
The Black Caps' beating Australia once without their talismanic captain and best player is one thing; doing it again at Eden Park today could be quite another.
Skipper Dan Vettori is in doubt with an awkward neck injury, which counted him out of the nerve-jangling two-wicket win in the opening Chappell Hadlee Trophy ODI in Napier on Wednesday.
Whether he plays depends on how he feels this morning, but his glum assessment yesterday didn't suggest massive confidence.
He did some fielding yesterday and came through well. A bat in the nets was another story and he didn't even bother trying to bowl.
"It just flares up occasionally," Vettori said of the injury, which relates back to an accident, and subsequent whiplash, in his teenage years.
"Fortunately I've been able to manage it where it doesn't affect me at game time."
If the captain sits it out - and Otago offspinner Nathan McCullum would take his place - New Zealand should at least be buoyed by having beaten Australia without his steadying bowling arm and knack of cribbing precious runs with his distinctive batting style late in the innings.
Indeed, New Zealand have had back-to-back wins against the Australians, including the sudden death finale to the Twenty20 win in Christchurch last Sunday.
You would not class either as exactly a right old duffing of the Aussies, and if New Zealand are smart they'll be ready for their opponents to hit back hard today.
The Napier win was on the back of some tidy bowling in challenging circumstances, and two fine innings from acting captain Ross Taylor and matchwinner Scott Styris. It should have imbued the players with a decent jolt of self belief.
They should also recognise that Australia could just as easily have won both. Neither was a cinch so as a means of keeping the focus sharp, that won't hurt either.
New Zealand have now won the last five ODIs at home against Australia.
Vettori believes his players find it easier to get themselves up for a contest against the near neighbours than at other times, and in other places. It should not be that way, but that's how it is.
"You see how excited people are about these games so New Zealand as a team try to get up for them," he said.
"It's a massive series for the guys. To get back the trophy would be something pretty special."
Both teams have plenty to work on today. Australia's bowling lacked precision at Napier, and neither batting effort was clinical.
Too many batsmen got starts, but only Mike Hussey, Taylor and Styris were able to make it count.
"If one of the top four make a big score, you've got such a strong foundation for everyone to be able to bat round that," said Australian allrounder and opening batsman Shane Watson yesterday.
Ditto New Zealand, for whom openers Peter Ingram and Brendon McCullum raced to 75 in Napier before departing within four overs of each other, both in the 40s.
One of the interesting sidelights to this series surrounds the toss.
Under normal conditions, Australia like to bat first, get their runs up and go from there. New Zealand historically are stronger chasing. That could make the toss irrelevant.
For all the talk of the Styris-Mitchell Johnson bustup in Napier, in close contests victory is usually achieved by the team which better keeps its eye on the ball.
That said, Vettori pointed out that "you have to match their intensity otherwise they'll wipe the floor with you".
Watson suggested Australia have yet to come to grips with the smaller size of New Zealand's grounds.
"Runs can be chased down, because the grounds are so small. That's something that we've got to continue to get our heads around and know that no matter what, New Zealand are always in the game."
NZ v AUSTRALIA
New Zealand: (from) Dan Vettori (c), Brendon McCullum, Peter Ingram, Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, James Franklin, Neil Broom, Scott Styris, Daryl Tuffey, Tim Southee, Nathan McCullum, Shane Bond, Michael Mason.
Australia: (from) Ricky Ponting (c), Shane Watson, Brad Haddin, Michael Clarke, Mike Hussey, Cameron White, Adam Voges, James Hopes, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz, Ryan Harris, Clint McKay, Doug Bollinger.
HEAD TO HEAD
Overall: Played 119, New Zealand won 33, Australia won 81, 5 no result
At Eden Park: Played 14, New Zealand won 5, Australia won 9
THREE OF THE BEST AT EDEN PARK
February 13, 1982
New Zealand won by 46 runs
Just 12 days after the infamous underarm game in Melbourne and the crowd were shoehorned in. New Zealand made 240 for six, Bruce Edgar getting 79, Jeremy Coney 45. Australia were outclassed, apart from Greg Chappell, the underarm architect, who hit a marvellous 108 off 92 balls, out of 194. A bloke walked out from the terraces and rolled a lawn bowl out to the middle at Chappell. An electric day.
February 22, 1992
New Zealand won by 37 runs
The opening game of the jointly-hosted World Cup. New Zealand made 248 for six, captain Martin Crowe an outstanding 100 not out, Ken Rutherford 57. Australia were travelling well until a young Chris Harris brilliantly threw out David Boon with a direct hit for 100. The last four wickets tumbled for 11. Dipak Patel opened the bowling with his off spin, the dibbly dobbers of Gavin Larsen, Rod Latham and Harris were at their peak of effectiveness. Salad days indeed.
February 18, 2007
New Zealand won by five wickets
Australia's 336 for four was dominated by acting captain Mike Hussey's terrific 105 off 84 balls, almost matched by Brad Hodge with an unbeaten 97 off 86 balls. However Ross Taylor's 117, Peter Fulton's unbeaten 76, a bruising 52 off 30 balls by Craig McMillan and Brendon McCullum's 22 not out off 12 balls got New Zealand to 340 for five, with eight balls to spare. This was the second of New Zealand's 3-0 sweep of the series.
