Australia seek to secure series

November 13-17, 2015
Start time 1030 local (0230 GMT)

One day was all it took for Australia to play New Zealand out of the first Test at the Gabba. At stumps on the first day of this three-Test series Australia were 2 for 389, New Zealand's bowlers were broken of spirit and, in a couple of cases, of body as well. This Trans-Tasman Trophy series promised so much, with a rebuilding Australia apparently ripe to be threatened by a more experienced New Zealand outfit. The more optimistic of New Zealanders say their team often starts slowly in a series; they must be thankful, then, that this one will be played over three Tests. Their chance for redemption arrives this week at the WACA.

New Zealand's one enormous positive to come out of the Brisbane Test was the apparent ease with which Kane Williamson handled Australia's bowlers. In scoring 140 and 59 he appeared mostly untroubled, and will again be key at the WACA. Williamson's efforts prompted exceptionally high praise from former Australia captain Allan Border. "Of all the gun batsmen going around, he would be the one I'd choose to bat for my life," Border told Fox Sports. "Technically, he's probably as equipped as any of them because I think he can take that technique to all different types of pitches ... He does everything correctly technically. He's very still at the crease, plays all the shots. I think he's equally as comfortable against the spin and pace bowling."

But he needs support, with both bat and ball. New Zealand's bowlers took only eight wickets at the Gabba, and each one cost on average 102 runs. You don't have to be a statistician to realise that is not the formula required for a successful Test performance. For Australia, most things went right as they continued their 27-year unbeaten run at the Gabba. Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja made maiden Test hundreds, David Warner picked up a century in each innings, and the bowlers created ample chances for 20 wickets despite a few dropped catches. On the pacy, bouncy WACA pitch, Mitchells Starc and Johnson will again be a threat, along with Josh Hazlewood.

Australia: WWLLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)

 New Zealand: LWLWW

The stage could be set for something special from David Warner this week. At the Gabba he became the third batsman in Test history to have scored a century in each innings of a Test on three separate occasions, and the ease with which he handled New Zealand's attack must concern them. Add to that the fact that he loves batting at the WACA, where in three Tests he has to his name 180 from 159 balls against India and 112 against England, and New Zealand could have a problem on their hands. No batsman in the world has more Test runs in the past two years than Warner's 2527, and no batsman has more hundreds than Warner's 11 in that same period.

The other left-handed opener in the match is unlikely to score quite as quickly as Warner, but might still cause some frustration for his opponents. At the Gabba, Tom Latham showed signs of getting under the skin of the Australian bowlers, through nothing more than leaving the ball judiciously and scoring in his trusted areas. In both innings he did the job of taking the shine off the new ball but was unable to go on and reach a half-century. Williamson can't do it alone for New Zealand at the top of the batting order and Latham might be the man with the temperament to provide him the strongest support.

Australia's captain Steven Smith has named an unchanged team, which means more drinks and Sheffield Shield duty for Peter Siddle while ensuring stability in the team that enjoyed a strong win over Brendon McCullum's men in Brisbane. "Same team," Smith said on Thursday. "Conditions are going to be pretty similar to the Gabba, the groundsman thinks there's going to be a fair bit of pace and bounce."

Australia: 1 Joe Burns, 2 David Warner, 3 Usman Khawaja, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 Adam Voges, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Peter Nevill (wk), 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Nathan Lyon

New Zealand will be forced to make at least one change, with allrounder Jimmy Neesham having flown home due to a back injury. Tim Southee was unable to bowl in the second innings in Brisbane due to a back problem but remains a chance of playing at the WACA. Mark Craig is expected to move up to No.7, which would allow a four-man pace attack. The make-up of that bowling group remains to be seen, but as an original member of the squad Matt Henry might have the front-running to replace Neesham.

New Zealand (possible): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Tom Latham, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Brendon McCullum (capt), 6 BJ Watling (wk), 7 Mark Craig, 8 Doug Bracewell, 9 Tim Southee/Neil Wagner, 10 Matt Henry, 11 Trent Boult

The WACA lost its famous pace and bounce for a few years but has in recent summers returned to the characteristics for which it was known in its heyday. Expect plenty for the fast bowlers in this surface. The forecast is hot and sunny, with a top temperature of 36C on the first two days.