Kiwi captain bills Aussies favourites

New Zealand cricket captain Stephen Fleming has admitted his team has little hope of beating Australia in their three-Test series starting at the Gabba in Brisbane on Thursday.

While the Australians have been at pains to convince everyone within earshot that it is shaping up as a close series, the Kiwi captain said the reality was everything pointed to an Australian win.

"Statistically wise we don't match up. That's being realistic," Fleming said.

"All the statistics add up to we're not going to be there."

Fleming's frank assessment of his team's prospects was consistent with what most experts expect to happen over the next month.

The Kiwis have not won a Test in Australia in 16 years and were beaten 3-0 when they last played the Australians at home in 2000.

The Australians, by contrast, have gone from strength to strength in recent years, winning series after series and setting records along the way.

They have a powerful batting lineup without any obvious weaknesses, a deadly bowling attack few sides can handle and a great record at the Gabba, one of the bounciest wickets in Australia.

"People see us as the number one side, we enjoy that status and we want to stay there," Australian captain Steve Waugh said.

"But you never become complacent. We respect New Zealand and we're expecting a good competition."

RIVALRY

Despite the gloomy forecasts, the Kiwis say they have not given up all hope of winning.

There has always been an intense rivalry between Australian and New Zealand sporting teams and all-rounder Chris Cairns said the Kiwi players were trying to draw strength from their seemingly hopeless position.

"The pressure is definitely on Australia. They're under pressure because they've got to perform in their home country, against a side which everybody has said is an underdog."

The New Zealanders arrived in Australia early after their scheduled tour of Pakistan was postponed because of security reasons and have shown encouraging signs with the bat, although their bowling has been a worry.

They have been boosted, however, by the return from injury of key players Cairns, Daniel Vettori and Dion Nash and are hoping the overwhelming support from back home will lift them.

"There is a lot of pressure to perform because we have players back in the side which we think gives us our best side and we've been waiting for that for a long time," Fleming said.

"New Zealander's, rightly or wrongly, gauge how successful we are in sport by how we do against Australia, probably just as many other countries do.

"There's a lot of reasons why but it just comes down to wanting to beat your neighbour."

Mail Cricket Editor