NEW ZEALAND V AUSTRALIA: PREVIEW

[Amjid Javed]

Top of the world rankings in both Test and ODI cricket, Australia also won the inaugural Twenty20 international in Auckland on Thursday.

But they were forced to share the Chappell-Hadlee trophy with New Zealand last year as the Kiwis earned a 1-1 draw against the otherwise all-conquering Australians.

And New Zealand are ranked second in ODI cricket and boast a fine home record in limited overs cricket.

The two teams meet again in Wellington on Saturday in the first game in a five-match ODI series with Australian captain Ricky Ponting hoping his team's 44-run in Twenty20 will give them an edge.

"This will certainly liven up things for the one-day series if it wasn't big enough anyway after the Chappell-Hadlee series," he said.

Australia rested fast bowler Jason Gillespie on Thursday while Brad Hogg offers a spin bowling option and Matthew Hayden an alternative to Michael Clarke at the top of the batting order.

New Zealand are likely to recall left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori and batsman Nathan Astle, who sat out the Twenty20 match.

Seamer Daryl Tuffey's final over cost 30 runs on Thursday as Ponting hit four sixes while former All Black rugby player Jeff Wilson's four overs went for 43 runs.

New Zealand (from): S Fleming, N Astle, M Sinclair, S Styris, H Marshall, C McMillan, C Cairns, B McCullum, A Adams, J Wilson, D Vettori, K Mills, D Tuffey
Australia (from): R Ponting, A Gilchrist, M Hayden, M Clarke, D Martyn, A Symonds, S Katich, M Hussey, J Hopes, B Hogg, M Kasprowicz, B Lee, J Gillespie, G McGrath

[Rob H]

It looks an intriguing series. I hope Ponting can do what he did yesterday (fantasy cricket) and i want Oram to play in the tests (fantasy cricket). What UK channel is this on?

[pakistani pride]

Aus are to strong for them i feel !

[Amjid Javed]

if these odis are played on the usually garden green seamers than new zealand will get a big pasting!

[Rob H]

Eden Park is very green and it showed yesterday as the Aussies skittled them out

[pakistani pride]

yep !

[Rob H]

Test series will be a walkover. NZ can hardly get over 300 most of the time. They will not give the aussies any threats. Their bowling attack is also very poor. They only have 1 good bowler in Vettori. People like Martin,Tuffey,Franklin,Mills are all 3rd rate bowlers