The Black Caps coach Gary Stead is looking forward to the prospect of being able to fight fire with fire as New Zealand head into their first home test of the summer against England in Mount Maunganui.
Gary Stead Photo: PHOTOSPORT
England won the recent T20 series, but have brought in some of their big guns for the two Test series including captain Joe Root, allrounder Ben Stokes and fast bowler Jofra Archer.
Archer will pose a real threat to New Zealand's batsman and rattled Australian run scoring machine Steve Smith in the recent Ashes series with his pace and bounce.
Lockie Ferguson is in the Black Caps squad with the Auckland speedster also able to bowl over 150 kilometres an hour.
Ferguson has starred with his pace in the limited-overs formats but is yet to be used by the Black Caps with a red ball, despite an excellent strike rate in first-class cricket.
Head coach Gary Stead isn't giving much away about selecting him to play.
"For us it's working out pitch conditions for a start, whether we think he will be a greater threat and factor than other bowlers in the lineup."
"I'm loathed to use the word rotation as that's not we're about at all, but we'll pick horses for courses for what we think is the right bowling attack is for any given surface, and also that we have five Tests in about a six week period as well."
Lockie Ferguson Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Ferguson's selection in the first of two Tests would break up the old firm of Trent Boult and Tim Southee - so effective for the past five years in home conditions.
With the Bay Oval expected to provide carry but not a lot of swing, Southee could be poised to miss a Test in New Zealand for the first time in almost two years.
In the past seven home Tests - resulting in five wins and two draws - the 30-year-old Southee has claimed 36 wickets at an average under 24.
However, he was captain throughout the Twenty20 series, won 3-2 by England, putting him in the frame for a break.
Coach Gary Stead has other quality pace options at his disposal, including the proven Matt Henry.
First-change enforcer Neil Wagner should start this week but he might become a victim of rotation, particularly during the three Tests in Australia from early December when conditions won't be as favourable to his largely short-pitched approach.
Allrounders Colin de Grandhomme (seam) and Mitchell Santner (spin) are expected to play this week and ensure the tail isn't too long, with wicketkeeper BJ Watling poised to come in at No.6, behind an established batting unit.
-RNZ/AAP
