Mills loss poses problems
New Zealand are facing a tricky selection dilemma as they ponder how to replace leading wicket-taker Kyle Mills and keep the pressure on England’s under-fire top six in the final Test.
Seamer Mills, who has claimed 10 wickets in the opening two Tests, was ruled out after his troublesome left knee prevented him from playing a full part in practice.
With off-spinner Jeetan Patel almost certain to replace Mills and form a spin partnership with captain Daniel Vettori, it leaves New Zealand considering the relative merits of Mark Gillespie and uncapped 19-year-old Tim Southee for the final place.
Gillespie claimed six wickets in the second Test defeat in Wellington, but was expensive while Southee was called into the squad after claiming the man-of-the-tournament award at the recent Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia.
It is a difficult predicament for a New Zealand side who have so far maintained a stranglehold on England’s top six, none of whom have scored a century in the series, with tight and disciplined bowling.
“We’ve got plans in place that have worked throughout the series and worked throughout the one-day series,” Vettori said.
“We have to make sure we’re disciplined with those again and they actually work because as soon as you get away from them guys like (Kevin) Pietersen are going to hurt you.
“There are other players in that top six that are crying out for a score and they’ll look at this wicket as their chance to do that, and it’s up to us to negate that with similar things that we’ve done during the whole series.”
Having won the first Test so convincingly in Hamilton and lost just as comfortably in Wellington, the series is finely balanced as they prepare for another batting-friendly surface at McLean Park.
Daniel Vettori must make a crucial call © Getty ImagesBuy this photoShort boundaries and another flat pitch allowed the sides to score 680 runs during their tied one-day international at the same venue last month, and pre-Test predictions are for a drawn finale.
But Vettori is keen for his side to steal the momentum before the two sides square up again for another three-Test series on English soil starting in May.
“I suppose if people before the one-day series had given us 1-1 then there would have been a lot of people happy to take it, and be happy with it,” Vettori added.
“I think the way the series has gone and the momentum we took from the one-dayers, how well we played at Hamilton and even Wellington, apart from that one session, we feel we’ve had that advantage throughout the series. We’d love to finish it off with a result here.
“Hopefully we’ll be ready to win the series because we haven’t won too many against quality teams so that should be the motivation for everyone.”
Vettori continued: “It’s all going to depend on the result of the final game. Whoever plays the better game, whether it’s a win or a draw, will probably take bragging rights for the whole series.
“We’ve got that from the one-dayers but if we can take it from the Test match as well it’s been a pretty good summer for us.
“People weren’t expecting it from us but we’ve managed to put something together. We’ve lost a lot of players, but there is still a lot of talent here and I think we can go forward.”
Seamer Tim Southee goes through his paces in the nets
