Cricket: Wright - We're not daunted by Gabba record

John Wright. Photo / Greg Bowker

New Zealand coach John Wright yesterday moved quickly to bury any talk that tackling Australia at its most successful test venue was a challenge beyond his team.

The numbers speak for themselves. Australia haven't lost a test at the Gabba since 1988, have won 16 of 22 since then and are bristling to enhance that record with their least experienced lineup in decades when the first test starts tomorrow.

New Zealand have won two of 26 tests in Australia, both in 1985. One was at the Gabba, when Wright was their senior opening batsman.

He admires Australia's record at the ground - akin to the All Blacks' winning run at Eden Park, now 17 years - but that's the extent of it. "It's impressive, no doubt about that," he said yesterday. "But from our point we've got everything to play for and in our changing room we've got some young cricketers who are really looking forward to this match and are excited about it.

"We're certainly not daunted by it. We see it as an opportunity."

He likes the confident vibe coming from his players, but is also aware that needs to be tempered to a degree.

"We're just building quietly. I feel we've gathered a little bit of confidence from that first trip to Zimbabwe, when we were together nearly a month, then coming here after some good performances in first-class cricket at home."

Wright hasn't talked to the players about 1985.

"Modern-day cricketers tend not to look that far back. But there are some experiences in playing and coaching against Australia [which he did while with India] that you do learn from, so you can share that information."

One of the messages to his players is to be true to themselves.

"Wrighty has talked long and hard to all of us to go out and be authentic to the style we have," opener Brendon McCullum said yesterday.

"From my point of view it's trying to be aggressive, keep out the good ones and hit the bad ones and put the opposition under pressure if they don't hit the right areas."

McCullum spoke of a team philosophy to this series. "We are driven by what we can achieve and touching the capabilities we know we have."

Wright liked the look of the Gabba pitch yesterday, believed New Zealand had got plenty of benefit out of the Australia A game last week, and was particularly pleased to have had the chance to study young uncapped quicks Ben Cutting, James Pattinson and Mitchell Starc, who were subsequently named in the test 12.

"That was very kind of them," Wright quipped, pointing out Cutting and Starc were both known to some New Zealand players, including Doug Bracewell, Dean Brownlie, Trent Boult and BJ Watling, for being involved in the Emerging Players tournament in Queensland last July-August.

Australia had an intense workout at the Gabba nets in serious late-morning heat yesterday.

All five national selectors were present, including new chairman John Inverarity and former test players Rod Marsh, Andy Bichel and coach Micky Arthur. The fifth panellist, captain Michael Clarke, ran the rule over the three fast bowlers.

Queenslander Cutting caught the eye, working up good pace.

There was an edge to their work, and a feeling around the Gabba that things are building nicely to what could be a cracking contest.