Two big questions remain before New Zealand cricket coach John Wright names his squad for the one-off test against Zimbabwe on Monday.
Following the euphoria of the Black Caps' historic victory over Australia in Hobart last month, wicketkeeper Reece Young's place in the side has come under scrutiny, and selectors must also decide whether they want to play four seamers and only five batsmen in Napier on January 25.
Wright and co will also name a New Zealand A team to meet a Zimbabwe XI in a three-day tour match in Gisborne from January 21-23, but players involved in the HRV Cup final won't be available.
With Jesse Ryder likely to be unavailable for the test due to another calf injury, the smart money is on Daniel Vettori sliding into the side at No 6 after missing the test at Hobart. That would push Dean Brownlie up a spot.
Young may hold his place at No 7, but the sight of Northern Districts' batsman BJ Watling donning the gloves for a domestic Twenty20 match this week raised suggestions he might win selection to boost the batting ranks.
Former national selector Dion Nash wasn't sure pushing Vettori to No 6 was a good idea because that position required a different mindset to his usual spot of seven or eight.
"What we would be asking him to be is a batting all-rounder,'' Nash said. "Which unless he is absolutely keen to do it and he's already made the commitment, I think you're starting to fiddle at that point.''
Nash, who played 32 tests and 81 one-day internationals for New Zealand from 1992-2002, said he would only stick with the four-seamer approach of Doug Bracewell, Chris Martin, Tim Southee and Trent Boult if the conditions were conducive to pace bowling.
"I think it's interesting. But only on a wicket that requires it. I think that probably it comes down to balance and I think you start to ask the question whether Dan Vettori can take the spot higher up and therefore bat six. I think that if you have to ask the question it means that it's probably not the go unless it absolutely has to be.''
One man who wants four seamers given a go is former test paceman Shane Bond, who said, Martin aside, the New Zealand quicks were in their early 20s and needed their workloads managed.
"I think with the bowling line-up it is going to be a big summer; a big workload and a lot of our bowlers are quite young and quite new to international cricket. So ... by playing four seamers, and perhaps batting Vettori at six, it gives the chance to share the load a little bit more and give some guys some experience.''
Bond also backed Vettori to perform at No 6, although he admitted it probably wasn't his best position.
"It's a tough one. Unless you've got a genuine all-rounder you're generally going to be light in one or the other (of the bowling or batting disciplines) and I think I would probably err on the favour of the extra bowler.''
The nature of the wicket in Napier will play a big part in the make-up of the playing XI, but one wildcard who could come in to the fold is Central Districts' leg-spinner Tarun Nethula.
Both Nash and Bond would like to see the right-armer, who has claimed 37 first-class wickets at 27.06 in the past two summers since moving from Auckland, given a chance at the next level.
"I think we should play a wrist-spinner. I think it's going to come down to Nethula or [Todd] Astle from Canterbury. I think probably on form, Nethula from CD deserves an opportunity,'' Bond said.
Considering there are tours to the West Indies and India and a Twenty20 World Cup to be played in Sri Lanka later this year, giving Nethula a chance to test the water at international level against Zimbabwe this month would seem an ideal time.
Possible New Zealand test squad: Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor (captain), Dean Brownlie, Daniel Vettori, Reece Young, Doug Bracewell, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Chris Martin, BJ Watling, Tarun Nethula
