Wright calls for disciplined batting

John Wright, the New Zealand coach, has asked for more discipline from his misfiring batsmen ahead of the second and final Test against Pakistan which starts on Saturday. New Zealand had folded for 110 in the second innings of the first Test in Hamilton and lost by ten wickets.

"We've got to try and get that top order functioning better," Wright said. "Whatever we plan, and they're pretty simple plans, we've got to be disciplined enough to get the job done.

"There's no excuses. We don't need any explanations, if you're picked as a batter your job is to get runs. It's about occupying the crease and not giving your wicket away, it's not rocket science."

New Zealand's batting flopped on an almost subcontinental track in the first Test at Seddon Park, which was slow with not much bounce on offer. They will now have to get their act together on a Basin Reserve pitch that is expected to assist the seamers. "It looks pretty grassy," Wright said of the pitch for the second Test. "We wouldn't mind more sideways and bounce, it's good for us."

One change New Zealand are contemplating is bringing in allrounder James Franklin for opener Tim McIntosh, who has six single-digit scores in his previous eight Test innings. "I think whenever you get a player like James in terms of the all-round package it's a real advantage so you always try to fit that type of player in the team," the New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori said. "With the likes of Jesse Ryder not bowling and Kane (Williamson) not bowling as well as we would have liked in the last test, then the addition of an allrounder could be beneficial, but we will find out later on."

Franklin hasn't played a Test in nearly two years but has turned in strong performances on the domestic circuit and in limited-overs for New Zealand.