Taylor wants three Tests against Australia

New Zealand's motivation for the forthcoming series against Australia includes the desire to again be afforded the chance to play three Tests against the hosts. The last time New Zealand battled Australia over three matches was 2005, and not since a drawn series in 2001 have they been granted three Tests in Australia.

Given that Australia and South Africa have just been forced to subsist on a two-match Test encounter, any hope for a more expansive Trans-Tasman Trophy would seem optimistic in the extreme, but New Zealand captain Ross Taylor said his men wanted to earn the right to contest one.

"Over the last few years I've been playing on this team, we've always played two-Test series, so we need to lift our performance to warrant the three-match series," Taylor said ahead of New Zealand's warm-up game against Australia A. "I'm sure over time we'll get to play in a three-match series [against Australia]. We know we need to lift our performances to be competitive in this series.

"With them [Australia] winning that game [in Johannesburg], they'll take a lot of confidence from that. A confident Australia is always going to be competitive and tough to beat, but we're looking forward to the challenge."

While Taylor fielded questions about the potential of Australia's Johannesburg debutant Pat Cummins, he also suggested that New Zealand had their own tyro of promise in Doug Bracewell, following his five-wicket haul on Test debut against Zimbabwe.

"Not a lot of people would've heard of Doug Bracewell; it's a famous name in New Zealand and he got a five-for on debut as well," Taylor said. "He might not be 18 but he's only just turned 21 and he can bowl with some high heat. I'm sure he's looking forward to bowling in bouncier conditions than we got in Bulawayo a couple of weeks ago."

Taylor's team faces an Australia A side abuzz with the knowledge that strong performances this week may mean a call into the Test team, given the number of injuries confronting the national selectors. The pace quartet of Ben Hilfenhaus, Ben Cutting, James Pattinson and Mitchell Starc - Trent Copeland will also be considered - sits at the front of the queue.

George Bailey, the Australia A captain, said all four quicks were likely to be selected. "I would have thought all four of the bowlers in this game would be in the mix," Bailey said. "The quicks are all in great form. They are all ready to go. This is a huge opportunity for them all. Our goal is to win the game. For some guys that will mean taking wickets. For others it might mean having to bowl from an end they are not comfortable with or bowling a more defensive spell."

As captain of Tasmania, Bailey has seen plenty of Hilfenhaus this season, and said the swing bowler was back to something near his best after a flat Ashes series last summer.

"He was disappointed last year and he was really hungry to get back in. He had probably searched for wickets a little bit. He has worked hard in the pre-season and is hitting the bat a yard or two quicker," Bailey said. "His last three or four weeks have been outstanding."