WELLINGTON, March 14: The New Zealand cricket selectors have kept faith with their novice top-order who struggled in the first Test against the West Indies, saying on Tuesday they will play again in the second Test.

Jamie How, Hamish Marshall and Peter Fulton were all dismissed with only 54 runs on the board in the first innings and 73 in the second of the Auckland Test, which New Zealand won by 27 runs.

Marshall struggled as an opener with scores of 11 and one after playing his previous nine Tests at number three.

Coach John Bracewell described all three as “young and inexperienced”.

While they were in the line-up for the second Test starting here on Friday, he would not confirm their selection for the third Test.

“We’re only selecting it one Test match at a time.” he said.

Meanwhile there are injury worries facing New Zealand’s battle-weary pace attack.

First Test Man-of-the-Match, paceman Shane Bond, has a sore knee, while Chris Martin and James Franklin have back and side strains respectively.

“They’re resting up. Most of them won’t bowl again seriously until Thursday mainly because we bowled every day of the Test,” Bracewell said.

Squad: Stephen Fleming (captain), Nathan Astle, Shane Bond, Peter Fulton, James Franklin, Jamie How, Brendon McCullum, Hamish Marshall, Chris Martin, Kyle Mills, Jeetan Patel, Scott Styris, Daniel Vettori.—AFP