New Zealand are prepared to face a barrage of spin when they begin their first Test series in Bangladesh in five years next week, hoping their strength in seam bowling will see them through.
"We are expecting nothing less than a tough contest," Black Caps coach Mike Hesson told reporters late yesterday after the tourists arrived for the two-Test series.
The last time New Zealand played Tests in Bangladesh in 2008, they won 1-0 following a three-wicket win in Chittagong, which is also the venue of the first match starting on Wednesday.
"It was a hard-fought Test where we had to chase over 300 in the last innings, which was a tough ask," Hesson said. "We know Bangladesh are a tough side and we are not under-estimating them."
The tourists are without injured veteran Daniel Vettori, who scored a match-winning 76 in that game, but Hesson hoped other players will make up for the absence of the inspirational all-rounder.
"We will certainly miss Daniel, but it's up to other players to step up on this tour and fill his void," the coach said, adding the Brendon McCullum-led side was ready for battle.
"The key to success will be our ability to strike with the new ball, the ability of our spinners to control the Bangladeshi batsman, and obviously our ability to play spin.
"Every time New Zealand teams tour the sub-continent, we face a lot of spin. Spinners are going to take a lot of wickets because they bowl 90 per cent of the overs, but we are certainly improving against spin.
"We spent nine days in Sri Lanka before we came here and we faced a lot of spin over there. We know what we're going to expect, nothing is going to surprise us.
