Question marks persist over Kiwis' prospects

New Zealand's cricketers have successfully provided answers for some of their critics during the drawn tour match against Queensland in Brisbane. But they still walked away from the 'Gabba with question marks persisting over several aspects of their game in the lead-up to the start of the First Test against Australia later this week.

Prior to a finish half an hour before the scheduled close, the Black Caps lost no friends today with another highly competitive performance against Australian domestic cricket's premier team. But, as batsmen from both teams sufficiently dominated the fourth and final day to ensure that a high-scoring game ended in a stalemate, so attention turned rapidly to thoughts of what lies in store when five-day cricket comes back to the 'Gabba on Thursday.

Of pressing concern to the visitors will be the form of their top order batsmen, and to the on-tour travails of openers Matthew Bell and Mark Richardson in particular. They have only posted one half-century stand on the entire visit, and they each looked low on confidence as they provided two more dismal starts in this one. To make matters worse, the task only becomes harder now, with Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie likely to be their next new ball foes.

And even number three Mathew Sinclair, who struck a defiant 80, wasn't wholly convincing in scoring his runs today. The right hander hit some lavish drives into the arc between mid off and mid on, but his innings was a mixture.

He did not always move his feet perfectly, and often played well away from his body at deliveries outside the line of off stump. He was also made to feel particularly uncomfortable by left arm paceman Mitchell Johnson (1/42) throughout a pre-lunch duel that led to an edge to Martin Love at slip.

Injury worries persist too. Nathan Astle (9*) returned to the crease briefly after his first innings double century, but remained off the field with a groin strain otherwise. And, even when there, he didn't look entirely comfortable, playing and missing at least six times at Johnson.

With Daniel Vettori and Dion Nash already in the stands as well, Adam Parore (24) joined the throng after he experienced soreness in a leg muscle while batting. Though all remain well in contention to appear in the Test - and Astle, Nash and Parore are considered near-certainties to be fit to play - it acted as another unnecessary distraction.

Craig McMillan (43) provided an encouraging innings, and Chris Cairns (31*) boosted his average and confidence with a characteristically swashbuckling batting cameo, but further worries lingered on into the afternoon.

After Queensland had been set the imposing task of scoring 311 runs from just 54 overs to win, new ball bowlers Cairns (0/39) and Shayne O'Connor (1/18) were unable to shift the makeshift opening pairing of Jimmy Maher (47) and Love (42).

Off spinner Glen Sulzberger (2/75) and paceman Chris Martin (1/59) were also undone in the middle of the afternoon when Andrew Symonds (47) returned Cairns' favour with a display of typically pyrotechnical hitting.

Ultimately, Sulzberger lured Symonds into thrashing a catch to deep mid wicket, therein confirming the widely-accepted belief that the game was destined for the early conclusion that arrived with the Bulls placed at 4/202 and still 108 runs behind overall.

But, unless the Black Caps can redress their problems quickly, confidence in their prospects later in the week won't be nearly as high.