KEY POINTS:
Rival captains Dan Vettori and Michael Clarke might as well not bother having a toss before the start of today's second ODI at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Recent history makes it clear New Zealand and Australia have firm views on the merits of batting or fielding first, irrespective of where they've been in, and what pitch conditions they've encountered.
Under Ricky Ponting, the Australians have a strong preference for batting first.
Since February last year, Australia have played 23 ODIs. They have won the toss 14 times and chosen to bat first in 13 of them.
The exception was against the West Indies at Grenada last June, and they won that by seven wickets. Overall in that time, Australia have won 14 games and lost nine.
Contrast that with New Zealand under Vettori. Although he has talked about a liking for batting first, pragmatism has usually won out too, with New Zealand generally performing better when chasing a target.
In 21 ODIs in the past 12 months, New Zealand have won the toss 11 times, and batted first only once.
Of the 10 games in which they've sent the opposition in, New Zealand have won six and lost just once, had one tie and two no results.
The odd result out was against Bangladesh in October. They batted first there and won by 79 runs. And of the 21 matches in the last year, New Zealand have won 13 and lost four, with three no results and that tie against England last summer.
The numbers over Vettori's ODI captaincy record tell their own tale.
Vettori has led New Zealand in 41 ODIs. He's won the toss 27 times and fielded first 19 times. Thirteen of those 19 have been won by New Zealand and only three lost.
