New Zealand bowler Chris Martin says consistency is going to be the key to success against Australia in the upcoming two-Test series.
The first Test gets underway at the Basin Reserve on Friday and the prospect of taking 20 Australian wickets without Shane Bond looms as a tough ask for the sixth-ranked New Zealanders.
"Most teams around the world who come up against Australia just have to do their disciplines for longer to make sure they stay in the game for the full five days," said the 35-year-old strike bowler.
"I know once Australia sniffs a bit of blood they are pretty quick to step on the throat.
"We've got to basically keep them in the game for five days through being pretty strong and hard and playing some good cricket.”
While Martin has enjoyed success at the Basin Reserve, taking 51 wickets at the picturesque venue, his return against Australia is modest with 14 wickets at 74.14 in eight Tests.
"They are very disciplined," he said of the Australian batsmen.
"When I've played against them in the past that I've actually walked away thinking I couldn't really have done much more.
"I've bowled as well as I could without really getting a result. That just shows the quality of the guys you come up against.
"They are quite willing to bat time and pretty much see you off. If you're bowling well to them they are not necessarily going to try and take you apart for that particular spell. They are a very disciplined outfit and one that you can’t get cheap wickets again."
Always a factor in Wellington is the wind and without the retired Iain O'Brien to do the lion's share of the hard yards into it, Martin said the responsibility was likely to be shared around the seamers.
"I think everyone is going to have to take a turn at it. I think Daniel (Vettori) will probably like to bowl from (the RA Vance end) which is normally with the wind. The seamers all pretty much have to have a go at it and keep their heads down," he added.
"I think Australia will find it just as difficult. It's just a great challenge really."
Despite the absence of Bond, O'Brien and Jesse Ryder, who trained with the New Zealand team on Tuesday morning as he continues his recovery from abdominal surgery, Martin said there was a belief within the side that they could beat Australia in a Test for the first time since 1993.
"I think you saw in the one-dayers and T20s series that the guys weren't really stepping backwards they were coming forwards," he said.
"Of course against a good opposition they are going to occasionally knock you off centre at times but I think throughout a Test series there is enough quality in our side to at least hold them and I think the pushing over the line thing is pretty much in our hands."