Posted December 18

It will be over 30 years since these two countries met last at 'the Brook', as the famous dual rugby and cricket ground is locally known. The previous meeting saw India triumph by five wickets and they enter this match again favourites to win by a similar margin.

Central Districts beat the tourists at Napier, where captain Mohammed Azharuddin rightly claimed a lack of first-class play, an abundance of one day matches and jetlag as various causes for the sluggish start. These problems appeared shaken off when the Indian team won comfortably at the Basin Reserve. The batting. always strong, is coming on song with all the leading players in runs except for the captain and Navjot Sidhu.

Wellington captain Roger Twose, a player of vast experience, highlighted the bowling of Javagal Srinath and Anil Kumble. His first innings 99 gave him a long look at the tourists, but he succumbed along with the rest of the Wellingtonians in the second innings against the lively pace of Robin Singh junior.

The New Zealand buildup has come from a diet of four day Conference matches likened to test trials because the country's leading players were grouped into three teams with Pakistan A providing weaker opposition. The home team selection resolved a lively debate over the opening partner for Matt Horne when Matthew Bell played his way in with a series of solid scores. This meant the past stalwarts like Young, Pocock, Twose and Spearman have been put aside.

Horne is well known as a test centurion in Australia as well as at home, but Bell aged 21 is making his debut. He has been groomed for test cricket since he made his first appearance for Northern Districts at the age of 17. He has made a triple century at age group representative level and a double century at first-class for Wellington. He is technically correct, short in stature and with quick footwork to position himself for hook and cut, not unlike the celebrated Gavaskar at first glance.

Only Parore among the middle order batsmen is yet to score heavily and his class is well known. Chris Cairns has been striking the ball very crisply, Craig MacMillan looks more complete every season and the allrounders Nash, Astle and Vettori are all in good form. The likely twelfth man is Paul Wiseman, an offspinner who has improved steadily but would find the short square boundaries at Carisbrook a disadvantage against the wristy Indian batsmen.

The top five batting differential is emphasised by the tally of test centuries made by the Indian stars: 52 from 258 matches collectively. New Zealand can boast only 12 from 152 tests by comparison. Leading the way is the player all India loves, including such luminaries as Viv Richards and Greg Chappell. He is of course Sachin Tendulkar and he has the fearsome support of some of the world's leading batsmen in Dravid, Ganduly, Azharuddin, Sidhu and Jadeja.

Sachin must surely be expecting to increase his highest test score, a relatively modest 179. This bodes ill for New Zealand. He may well find the Basin Reserve pitch conducive to a double century.

He will also find the Carisbrook pitch has true pace, bounce and carry. Two night Cricket MaX matches here this season have already demonstrated these features. It is tempting to insert if one wins the toss at 'the Brook' but you need a hatful of wickets in the first session. After that it becomes a fine batting pitch until late in the match when the spinners emerge. To bat first is the preferred option.

Indians do not warm too well to Carisbrook for it is the southernmost test venue.The 1992 World Cup match will be remembered, not too fondly, by some of the present players. The weather is presently mild and sunny with a northeasterly breeze that usually remains fine. It is the sudden switch to the south. always lurking, that brings about a swift drop in temperature and a rush for thermal underwear and extra sweaters. Cooler showers are forecast for the weekend.

There is anticipation in the south for the appearance of Sachin, Azhar and their lieutenants. The sports mad fans of Dunedin are rarely treated to such a galaxy of stars and they will be sure to flock to their favourite positions in this newly refurbished, splendid stadium.

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