Black Caps look to youngster Southee to swing them to series win

The 19-year-old seamer was called into their squad for the decider at McLean Park after being named player of the tournament in the recent Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia having claimed 17 wickets at 6.64.

But it his ability to swing the ball as much as his recent displays which has persuaded New Zealand's selectors to include him in a Test squad for the first time as they attempt to match England's expertise at swinging the ball.

"If the surface is as predicted there's going to be something in it for the first session and reasonably flat for the rest of the match," explained coach John Bracewell.

"The defining factor may be swing bowling and I think at the moment England have the edge on us in regards to swing. All of their bowlers swing it apart from (Steve) Harmison and swing it reasonably late.

"We really have only got Kyle Mills that swings the ball on a consistent basis and having that extra option of genuine swing may put the balance back on an even keel - it's a handy option to have.

"He's a class bowler and the selectors have been watching him for quite some time. They believe he's ready for the job. He's a genuine swing bowler and that may be the point of difference."

Southee certainly did not look out of place against England during the two Twenty20 internationals at the start of the tour and his inclusion could also ease the burden on both Mills and Chris Martin.

The pair have featured in every international match of England's tour and have already bowled 176 overs between them during this series and with the McLean Park pitch expected to be another batting paradise, New Zealand are concerned about the effect of three back-to-back Tests.

"We're lucky we've got an extra day in terms of recovery," admitted Bracewell. "There was a bit of wear and tear from Hamilton and also a reflection of the consistent cricket Chris and Kyle have had over the last season.

"Neither of them have played both forms on the game on a consistent basis and that's probably taking its' toll.

"We're happy with our bowling depth when they're all fit. Michael Mason is back from injury and bowled well in the last game (for Central Districts) so there are some good options available to us and we've got time to get these guys fresh and ready to go for the next Test."

The wear and tear is such that Mills was due to see a doctor later today to have stiffness behind his left knee examined to give him the all-clear to continue in the third Test which starts late on Friday.

If he is ruled unfit, Southee will become an automatic replacement but otherwise he will face competition from Mark Gillespie and Jeetan Patel for the final place in New Zealand's line-up.

The final Test will also be the 111th and last for former captain Stephen Fleming, who announced several weeks ago that this series would be his last as an international player before he retires to spend more time with his family and develop business interests.

It promises to be an emotional event at McLean Park, but Bracewell is confident Fleming has enough composure to handle the occasion and do his best to finish on a high by helping New Zealand to victory.

"He's got enough under his belt to be able to deal with this," added Bracewell.

"It's not a surprise to either him or the nation that this is his last Test.

"He will be extremely professional. He wasn't participating in the match yesterday (Monday), but still went through his routines and had a bat in the nets and is preparing himself for the next Test match."