CHRISTCHURCH, March 13: New Zealand cricket coach John Bracewell has resisted the urge to make changes despite his team being thrashed by Australia by nine wickets in the first Test on Sunday.
Bracewell confirmed the same 12 would travel to Wellington for the second Test starting there on Friday.
There were few other options with several frontline New Zealand players on the injured list including Scott Styris, who continues to have knee problems, and fellow all-rounder Jacob Oram who is out for the rest of the home season with a back stress injury.
Australia, meanwhile, will mull over whether to reintroduce speedster Brett Lee, who was a controversial omission for the first Test.
Captain Ricky Ponting agreed it was a difficult task to make room for Lee after the three pacemen and spinner Shane Warne skittled New Zealand for 131 in their second innings to take the first Test.
“You’d think it’d be pretty hard to change, the selectors will have to think long and hard. We’ve played great cricket for four days and changes would be unexpected,” Ponting said.
Squad: Stephen Fleming (captain), Craig Cumming, Hamish Marshall, Lou Vincent, Nathan Astle, Craig McMillan, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori, James Franklin, Iain O’Brien, Chris Martin, Paul Wiseman.
