2nd Test: New Zealand pin their hopes on overcast conditions

BANGALORE: Trespassers will berecruited, especially if they reveal they can play spin. That isn't exactly thevisiting New Zealand side's credo but it wouldn't be too far off the mark.Some may term it as overreaching but seeing the way they capitulatedon the Hyderabad track that had no demons whatsoever, it certainly cannot betermed too outlandish an assessment. Had they played at Kanpur or the likes, Ross Taylor and company would have realized what an 'Indian' wicket could 'turn' out to be.It must be remembered though that in NewZealand there are more sheep than people (11 to a person according to somequarters) and that spinners are even rarer as Doug Bracewell, their young pacer,readily admitted on Wednesday. In that sense they just aren't used to playingspin and the team is invariably on a learning curve."Obviously wedon't face as much spin back home as we do in the sub-continent. There's a lackof spinners back home. But there are a few guys there and a few young guyscoming through, so that's always good," he said after his team's net sessionduring which the sun shone only briefly.The Indians, who came to theground later in the afternoon, weren't that lucky as the start of their netsession was interrupted by a sharp shower. Fortunately the rains relented enoughfor some kind of hitting at the nets, which got under way once Virender Sehwaghad got through the first ball safely.In any case the way theweather has been around Bangalore for the past week or so, interruptions to theTest could be common. How the rains have affected the pitch preparation isanother thing though and difficult to tell. Having not had the luxury ofwatering it - the fear that it wouldn't dry up in the prevailing weather makingwatering risky - it could well turn out to be drier than a normal ChinnaswamyStadium track."We have looked at the wicket, there's a bit of grassover there at the moment, but I'd say they'll definitely shave it off," saidBracewell, who could well be replaced by Tim Southee."They'llprobably get it as dry and take as much of the grass on it as possible off. Butat the moment it looks quite nice and I think the overcast weather is alsohelping us and if it stays like this, it might work into our favour a littlebit," he added.Something else can work in their favour. In the last first class match that was played at this venue, Harshal Patel, an unsung young man, picked up eight wickets for a mere 40 runs as hosts Karnataka went down to Haryana in the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal. The ball swung and seamed around nicely, even if it never was an unplayable situation. Should the Kiwis get even half that help, they have the seamers to do the damage.At leastthat's what they need to keep telling themselves. In a short series as this, acomeback is that much tougher but as Bracewell said they simply have to forgetthe first Test.