Dunedin Test Preview

On paper this looks a complete mismatch, and the recent one-day series further suggests it will be. New Zealand are in a mess and have become all muddle-headed at the moment, making and talking about all sorts of changes so the combination of the side is still up in the air. South Africa by contrast are looking ferociously good and their lineup boasts a plethora of modern greats.

Nine of the side which played in the drawn series in Australia are in the lineup for NZ, but that would be papering over the cracks; as far as the batting goes, Ross Taylor is returning from injury and zero game-time, Vettori's form for Northern Districts has been average, and McCullum and Guptill will have to bat out of their skins to continue their one-day form in this arena. But it's the absentees which are the problem for NZ. Jesse Ryder has probably played his last game of the summer, while BJ Watling (who scored a century from no.7 against the ZImbabweans) is out too. The biggest loss is Dean Brownlie, who was the best of the lot in Australia and whose back-foot game would've been invaluable against Steyn, Morkel and co.

So instead we have Rob Nicol, who didn't look all that comfortable in the ODIs opening the batting as McCullum surprisingly pushes down to no.3. Andrew Ellis is in the squad too, and I'm not too hopeful of his bits-and-pieces game making it in test cricket. Kruger van Wyk makes his debut in the wicketkeeper's slot, and while this is one guy I really want to succeed, it means the lower order is inexperienced and unreliable (seeing how Southee and Bracewell seem to leave their brains in the shed each time they come out to bat). Not a lineup that's likely to salvage a 70/5 situation, which will definitely happen sometime in the series.

The bowling's the stronger suit though. Martin is in the form of his life, while Southee, Bracewell and Boult should prove a handful though still dwarfed by South Africa's attack.

Not much to say on South Africa. This is probably the best side to tour NZ since the Aussies in 2005, and they haven't lost a series away from home in 2006. A lot of people have suggested they'd be very disappointed if they didn't end up with a 3-0 scoreline, and the fact that they've kept the talk and cockiness to a minimum so far on tour suggests they mean business. The on;y thing that could work against them is that they weren't really tested by NZ or the conditions in the ODIs, and that could change now.

The pitch is supposedly a throwback to the sort of slow, seaming track which was the scourge of touring teams back in the day. No doubt this could make for some very unattractive cricket, but it presents NZ with probably their only chance of keeping up with the Saffers. You sense that no track would be too flat for Steyn & co to make an impact.