NAPIER (New Zealand), Dec 18: New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori believes there is little separating his team and the West Indies going into Friday’s decisive second cricket Test here.

Neither New Zealand, ranked eighth out of cricket’s nine Test teams, with West Indies one spot higher, could claim a decisive advantage after the rain-ruined draw in the first Test in Dunedin.

“Both teams will come away thinking they are in a reasonable space and looking forward to this Test match,” Vettori told journalists.

New Zealand scored 365 and 44Napier’s McLean Park pitch has the reputation of being a benign batting surface and both the West Indies and New Zealand pace attacks are expected to find the going tough.

New Zealand appear almost certain to bring in a second spinner to complement Vettori, who finished the West Indies innings in Dunedin with six for 56.

Off-spinner Jeetan Patel has played only five Tests since his debut against South Africa in March 2006, but Vettori sees the 28-year-old as the perfect foil for his own left-arm spinners on what promises to be a lifeless pitch.

Opening bowler Mark Gillespie is the most likely candidate to give way to Patel, after struggling in Dunedin to finish with none for 102 from 21 overs.

The other possible contender to miss out is Kyle Mills, although he was the most successful of the pace bowlers in Dunedin, with three for 64.

All-rounder James Franklin has been cleared to play after receiving a heavy blow to the ribs while batting in the first Test.

Batsman Ross Taylor is also expected to play, despite dislocating a finger while dropping a slips catch in Dunedin.

The West Indies are also considering a second spin option to back up captain Chris Gayle, who took three for 42 in Dunedin.

Sulieman Benn, a tall left arm spinner, could come in at the expense of fast bowler Lionel Baker, who made little impact in his Test debut in Dunedin.

Teams (from):

NEW ZEALAND: Tim McIntosh, Jamie How, Daniel Flynn, Ross Taylor, Jesse Ryder, James Franklin, Peter Fulton, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori (captain), Kyle Mills, Iain O’Brien, Mark Gillespie, Chris Martin, Jeetan Patel.

WEST INDIES: Chris Gayle (captain), Sewnarine Chattergoon, Xavier Marshall, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Brendan Nash, Denesh Ramdin, Jerome Taylor, Daren Powell, Fidel Edwards, Lionel Baker, Sulieman Butt.—AFP