http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricke...eat-goes-on-black-caps-topsix-in-christchurch
Never has test cricket been played this early in a New Zealand season.
Seven years ago, New Zealand Cricket boldly ventured into November for the first time and sent Pakistan south to Dunedin. It paid off, and Shane Bond helped bowl the Black Caps to victory in a final day thriller, by 32 runs.
The formula's stood up a long time: send the team from much warmer climes south pre-Christmas and watch them freeze. Almost certain victory for the hosts.
It worked last December when Sri Lanka were greeted by sleet in Dunedin and the Black Caps began their home 'summer' with a 122-run win.
In 11 pre-Christmas test season openers in New Zealand, the hosts have lost just one: to Pakistan in December 1995, in Christchurch.
Pakistan return there for Thursday's first test at a different venue, Hagley Oval, with the odds stacked against them. Their only three-day warmup match was washed out without a ball bowled, having spent nine days in Nelson with an occasional outdoor net. Thursday's early forecast is for southerlies, rain and a maximum of 14degC. Welcome to New Zealand in November.
The bookmakers have seventh-ranked New Zealand $1.80 favourites to second-ranked Pakistan's $3.50. That's how much home advantage means this time of year, even for a team with four losses from their last six test series.
That ramps up the pressure on the Black Caps' underperforming top-six, in conditions far removed from India where they melted against quality spin.
Selection's been largely straightforward for coach Mike Hesson, but this 13-man New Zealand squad caused he and co-selector Gavin Larsen headaches.
They made the overdue call to cut the struggling Martin Guptill but were only really bombarded by one player who roared "pick me" in domestic cricket. That was Todd Astle, the 30-year-old batting legspinner who owed his spot to a Mitchell Santner broken wrist but deserved some love after nearly four years in the test wilderness.
Opener Jeet Raval was next opener in line after a prolific last summer - with 84 his best this season in six innings. Experienced trio Brad Wilson, Hamish Rutherford and Luke Woodcock all applied heat with centuries but appears they weren't seriously considered.
Henry Nicholls won the contestable No 5 spot but hardly hammered at the selection door as Hesson had demanded of all the promising batsmen.
Nicholls' 98 against Central Districts at the test venue saved any embarrassment, amid four Plunket Shield scores of 15 or under. Luke Ronchi could argue he was unlucky after being the highest New Zealand runscorer (200 at 33.33) in the 3-0 India series defeat.
Two of New Zealand's brightest batting prospects - both picked for the washed out New Zealand A game against Pakistan - weren't in the conversation. Central's Will Young had a topscore of 52 from five innings and Northern's Bharat Popli a best of 41 in six knocks.
"Around the country we'd like to see greater output from the middle order players. In particular the guys we call players of interest," Larsen said.
"Henry's a fine young player and you don't have to think too far back to the 76 he scored in terrifically challenging conditions against Dale Steyn and company [in August]. We were always keen to get him back in the fold sooner rather than later."
For all that, star batsman Ross Taylor has the biggest spotlight on him against an excellent Mohammad Amir-led Pakistan pace attack and the world's best spinner Yasir Shah. Taylor and Amir are the only returnees from that 2009 Dunedin test.
Taylor struggled in India and seemed to lack a method. His 290 in Perth a year ago was sublime but since then - taking out a flat track run gorge in Zimbabwe - Taylor's gone 16 test innings without a half-century. He's emerged from slumps before, and still boasts an average of 46 from 76 tests.
Things can change in a hurry. Just look at Australia where Adam Voges is under immense pressure and Mitchell Marsh dropped just nine months after they bullied the Black Caps bowlers.
Now the New Zealand bowling looks much healthier and the batting is under scrutiny. Tom Latham and Kane Williamson will carry them strongly but if they're to defend their chilly backyard, New Zealand need serious input from the rest or more awkward selection meetings loom ahead of the big series against South Africa.
