Hamish Bennett is new player who becomes a part of NZ team. Martin Guptill is a part of NZ A team so he is also dropped. Ryder was found involve in many off field forbidden activities mainly alcohol. After his selection he said that he is lucky to get another chance.

New Zealand team consists of Daniel Vettori (Captain), Hamish Bennett, Grant Elliott, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Andy McKay, Kyle Mills, Jesse Ryder, Aaron Redmond, Tim Southee, Shanan Stewart, Ross Taylor, Daryl Tuffey, BJ Watling and Kane Williamson.

They will play five one day internationals in their tour along with a warm up game. It is declared as a good tour before Pakistan’s tour to NZ and World Cup starting next year. Greatbatch said that Hamish Bennett has solid domestic season and he will be available to playing eleven when he will be needed.

Kane Williamson who was part of 2008 under-19 squad is also selected in the team and now he will play for the national team of New Zealand. He will make his international debut for New Zealand.

The chairman of selectors, Mark Greatbatch said that in the absent of Vettori and McCullum now it is chance for Taylor to show his leader ship skills. Greatbatch also said now it’s a chance for him to develop captaincy skills as may be he has to keep up the responsibility of captaincy.

Vettori is with his family after his second child birth. He wants to spend some time with family as buzy schedule is ahead. McCullum is also on leaves as his child is expected in middle of the year.

Squad announced for the Tri Series is Ross Taylor (capt), Kyle Mills (vice-capt), Grant Elliott, Martin Guptill, Gareth Hopkins (wk), Jeetan Patel, Jesse Ryder, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson, Tim Southee, Scott Styris, Nathan McCullum, Andy McKay, Jacob Oram and Daryl Tuffey.

Mohammad Yousuf had won the toss and put New Zealand to bat first on a pitch that was slow and low in nature. Left arm quick Mohammad Aamer gave a dream start by yorking Tim McIntosh in the very first ball of the match. Mohammad Asif caused damge from his end by forcing Daniel Flynn to get an inside edge to the keeper. New Zealand got off to a disastrous start at 27 for 2 in the 6th over.

Pakistan failed to make most of the inroads as opener Martin Guptill got a partnership going with Ross Taylor. The Kiwis went to lunch without any further damage at 78 for 2 in 28 overs. The partnership blossomed after lunch with both Guptill and Taylor knocking off their respective half centuries.

In the 41st over, Pakistan took a chance with the referral system asking for an lbw decision when Asif had hit the pad of Taylor but the TV Umpire had noticed tha the ball had struck outside the line of the off stump. Pakistan eventually could break the 3rd wicket stand when Martin Guptill (60 from 142 balls with 10 fours and a six) miscued a pull shot off Aamer. Guptill put on 117 runs for the 3rd wicket along with Taylor. The Kiwis went to Tea at 171 for 3 with Ross Taylor closing in to his 5th test hundred.

The final session seemed to go in Pakistan’s favour as off spinner Saeed Ajmal lured Taylor into an expansive drive to have him edge a straighter one in the 63rd over. Ross Taylor was unlucky to miss out on a hundred. He scored his 94 in 174 balls with the help of 13 fours and a six. Asif returned back to clean up Fulton (29) with an indipper and New Zealand lost their 5th wicket with that. The same bowler had Grant Elliott nicking behind to have the homeside wobbling at 211 for 6.

Pakistan in a bid to wrap up the NZ first innings took the second new ball in the 81st over. In the final over of the day’s play they came very close to getting their 7th wicket when Brendon McCullum got hit on the pad by Asif and Umpire Taufel gave that out lbw. But McCullum took advantage of the review system and got his lbw decision reversed as the ball had struck him outside the line of off stump while attempting a shot. The Kiwis were revived in the end through a nice fighting partnership between McCullum and Vettori.

As predicted, Aamer and Asif were the main bowling stars for Pakistan taking a combined five wickets while Umar Gul dissapointed. Saeed Ajmal did a good hold up job by conceding just 49 runs in his 26 overs.

Live Scores powered with Ball by Ball Simulation of this First Test Match between New Zealand and Pakistan at Dunedin can be followed at www.cricketmove.com.

Surprisingly, the Skipper himself – Younis Khan has been the culprit so far in both the matches. In the first match, he got out playing a reckless drive when Pakistan didn’t even open its account and in the second game, he never took any risks that were needed with the required run rate climbing up beyond the middle order’s reach. Younis will have to lead the team from the front and with Afridi being consistently successful, it looks like a lot of pressure is mounting on the present Pakistan Captain. Younis performs under pressure, one knock which proves is a century against India in the Kitply Cup Final when his team was chasing 300 plus target. So Pakistan can pin their hopes on him to come good in today’s third and final ODI.

The Kiwis will be hoping to win the toss and bat again. Not sure if Brendon McCullum can strike gold twice so its important for someone like Ross Taylor to play to his potential. The young man is a class act but is not that mature enough to bring out the best from himself on a consistent basis. I guess just occupying the crease should be enough for this talented Ross Taylor. With the kind of shots he has got, a slow start can always be converted into a run-a-ball knock within no time.

Another player who is having a certain problem is Salman Butt. His temperament is surely proved after a century in front of a 100,000 people in Kolkata against India a few years back. Butt is a good player to watch because of his unique wristy drives on the off side. The left hander has plenty of problems, he has done enough damage I suppose for Pakistan with his slow batting. If I remember he was instrumental in Pakistan’s loss in the T20 World Cup final against India in 2007 because of playing too many dot balls. Well the same had happened in the second ODI as well, so Butt has got to change his game plan slightly. He needs to show the urgency in his batting so that the middle order batsmen do not get burdened of scoring runs quickly all the time. I have this gut feeling that in an ODI, Pakistan should not have two specialist openers. They should have atleast one opener who can do the demolishing act during the 1st powerplay when the ball is coming onto the wicket.

Pakistan seriously needs to tinker with its top order. It will be good if either Kamran Akmal or Shoaib Malik open the innings. The second ODI saw lot of six hitters including Mohammad Yousuf getting wasted under the pressure of achieving the tough task of getting about 160 runs in the last 20 overs. And again, Umar Akmal is needed for Pakistan, it was shocking to see him sit on the bench in the last ODI. Either Khalid Latif or Salman Butt should be dropped for this decider to make way for Umar Akmal.

Well to round off, Pakistan’s chances of a win today is more when they bat first, get about 250 and leave the rest to their bowling. New Zealand’s chances are by batting first too but they would need 300 like in the last game. Their fielding will make sure that Pakistan will have to chase that extra 20-30 runs always.