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Daniel Vettori won the toss and batted in the deciding second Test against Australia in Adelaide after both sides were forced into making one change. The offspinner Nathan Hauritz’s surprise return to Test action - he missed New South Wales’ match last week - was confirmed while New Zealand picked Peter Fulton, who will bat at No. 5, in the place of Grant Elliott.

Jason Krejza, who has not played since taking 12 wickets on debut in Nagpur, hurt his ankle at training during the week and was less than a day short of being ready for his first match at home. His failed fitness test allowed Hauritz to come in for his first match in four years and he will have an early chance for a bowl.

“You have to bat at Adelaide on the first morning or you get in trouble,” Vettori said as he continued Ricky Ponting’s poor luck with the toss. “Surprise, surprise,” Ponting said. “I know it’s now 19 out of 50 that I’ve won. It’s not a bad day to be bowling in Adelaide, to tell you the truth.”

Overcast conditions greeted the players and Ponting hoped the ball would swing during the morning. Both batting sides were also looking to enjoy the flat conditions following the seaming surface in Brisbane.

Australia won the first Test by 149 runs to retain the Trans-Tasman Trophy while New Zealand need to avoid losing this game to prevent a drop to eighth on the ICC’s ranking. Matthew Hayden will have to wait for an opportunity to make an impact with the bat in his 100th Test.

Australia 1 Matthew Hayden, 2 Simon Katich, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Hussey, 5 Michael Clarke, 6 Andrew Symonds, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Brett Lee, 9 Mitchell Johnson, 10 Nathan Hauritz, 11 Stuart Clark.

New Zealand 1 Aaron Redmond, 2 Jamie How, 3 Jesse Ryder, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Peter Fulton, 6 Daniel Flynn, 7 Brendon McCullum (wk), 8 Daniel Vettori (capt), 9 Tim Southee, 10 Iain O’Brien, 11 Chris Martin.

Source:Cricket News