Australia test vision for the future

Television stations have been providing summer filler entertainment for years and this season the Australian cricket team has got in on the act as well. With five weeks between Sri Lanka's visit and the Boxing Day Test against India, Australian fans starved of action will get their first December fix with a Twenty20 match between Australia and New Zealand on Tuesday.

Both sides will use the game to plan for the future, but while New Zealand are looking several days ahead, Australia's strategy can be measured in years. New Zealand's focus is shedding their miserable form as they prepare to defend the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy; Australia's aim is to blood untried players and a potential future captain.

At 26, Michael Clarke will become the youngest man to lead Australia in an international since Kim Hughes, who was 25 when he was first handed the reins in a Test. It might be a sneak-peek at Australia's next full-time skipper, although such talk is premature with Ricky Ponting nowhere near retirement.

Nathan Bracken believes Clarke will be an excellent captain, albeit only for a three-hour contest. "He is going to add something fresh to the side," Bracken told AAP. "If he keeps bringing everything he has brought through the last two or three years of international cricket that I have played with him, he will give us something else."

Clarke's promotion gives a clear indication of how Australia view their home Twenty20 matches - it's a testing ground. A game against India in January will give them another chance to assess future talent but they have no plans to add extra Twenty20 fixtures to their summer schedules.

Last year Australia trialled Ben Hilfenhaus and Shane Harwood in the Twenty20 match against England. This year the less familiar faces in the squad are Adam Voges, the Western Australia batsman, and Ashley Noffke, Queensland's in-form fast-bowling allrounder.

By resting Ponting and Matthew Hayden, Australia have continued their relaxed attitude towards the new format and limited-overs contests with New Zealand. Ponting and Adam Gilchrist skipped February's Chappell-Hadlee games but John Bracewell, the New Zealand coach, swears he is not offended by a team he calls "world leaders in planning". He said if New Zealand had enough depth they would use a similar policy.

Their form, however, proves they cannot afford to field an under-strength side. New Zealand were humiliated in their Test tour of South Africa and they managed one win in the limited-overs series that followed.

Their best source of comfort will be their Twenty20 record, which is remarkably similar to that of Australia. They contested the first international in 2004-05; they have each played 12 games, Australia have six wins and New Zealand have five; they were both knocked out in the semi-finals at the World Twenty20; and they were each defeated in their only match since then.

The teams have not met in a Twenty20 since Australia's win in Auckland and while New Zealand want to make it 1-1, a victory would be important for other reasons. Jeetan Patel said the squad needed to gain some momentum ahead of Friday's opening Chappell-Hadlee match.

"The guys are really raring to go," Patel said. "If we get over the line [on Tuesday] then it boosts morale again, and we can hopefully push home that advantage in that first [ODI] in Adelaide."

However, Ponting and Hayden will return for the 50-over games as Australia seek to add the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy to a near-complete set of prizes in their bulging cabinet. The Twenty20 contest might be New Zealand's best chance of a triumph in Australia.

Australia squad Adam Gilchrist (wk), Brad Hodge, Michael Clarke (capt), Michael Hussey, Andrew Symonds, Adam Voges, Brett Lee, Ashley Noffke, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Mitchell Johnson, Shaun Tait.

New Zealand squad Brendon McCullum (wk), Lou Vincent, Ross Taylor, Scott Styris, Jamie How, Mathew Sinclair, Jacob Oram, Daniel Vettori (capt), Kyle Mills, Mark Gillespie, Jeetan Patel, Chris Martin.