New Zealand's bowling resources have been plagued by injuries and now the batting potency for the forthcoming test matches against South Africa has been hit.

Northern Districts middle-order batsman Hamish Marshall is being groomed as cover for the opening batting positions which will be taken by Mark Richardson and Craig Spearman.

Matthew Horne, New Zealand's most successful opener in recent history has not recovered quickly enough from his broken hand, suffered in Zimbabwe last month, to make the tour.

It is a tough situation for a New Zealand side having to blunt the South African attack of Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener, Jacques Kallis, Roger Telemachus et al.

Richardson shaped promisingly when scoring 99 in only his second Test, the second win over Zimbabwe, but Spearman has been woefully inconsistent throughout his career.

Selection convener Sir Richard Hadlee told CricInfo today that Marshall was named as the back-up opener.

"We believe he has the talent, he is technically sound, he has good concentration and a good game plan. He came through the tough environment in India well.

"It is a tough assignment for him but the options will be there for the on-tour selectors to decide what they will do," he said.

Marshall scored two centuries on the tour of India.

The first opening option would be Spearman and Richardson, then possibly a second one would be Sinclair and Adam Parore could be another option, he said.

"We have chosen players we think can do the job. All of us agree, we must look to the future. It is a daunting task but there is no point stagnating by using players who have been tried and who have struggled.

"We believe we should reward those who have succeeded on tours over the winter and it sends a clear message that places are up for grabs for players who do well," he said.

The selectors did ask one-day specialist Roger Twose if he would be available for the first-class part of the programme and he declined to stay on.

A decision on whether Chris Cairns will stay will be made at the end of the one-day series. "I would like to be optimistic that Chris will stay on, but we must be prepared for the worst.

"He will continue with the side for the current one-day series then we will review the state of his leg injury once that's over at the end of next week," selection convener Sir Richard Hadlee said.

Cairns has been bracketed for the next leg of the tour with Scott Styris.

The full Test squad is: Stephen Fleming (captain), Mark Richardson, Craig Spearman, Hamish Marshall, Mathew Sinclair, Craig McMillan, Nathan Astle, Adam Parore, Chris Cairns/Scott Styris, Brooke Walker, Paul Wiseman, Andrew Penn, Kerry Walmsley, Daryl Tuffey, Shayne O'Connor.

One-day specialists returning home with Twose are: Chris Harris, Chris Nevin and Geoff Allott.

"All we can do is give people the opportunity," Hadlee said.

"We are very pleased that we are in the position of giving a 21-year-old batsman the chance to prove that he has what it takes to compete at the highest level of the game.

"We are in no doubt that he has the potential to cement a place in the side for some time to come.

"Apart from his recent efforts with the Academy side, Hamish has also had good results in the past two seasons of first-class cricket."

Marshall has played only 13 first-class matches, has a highest score of 58 and an average of 20.90.

From the bowling point of view Hadlee said Penn and Walmsley had returned from the tour of India better bowlers and after watching them last week at the High Performance Centre at Lincoln University he was impressed with how keen they were.

"It is a huge opportunity for them," he said.

"We need fresh legs and a new approach with our pace attack and Kerry Walmsley has shown both during the Academy tour and in recent domestic cricket that he has good potential to take wickets and give the batsmen a lot of trouble.

"Andrew Penn, who missed much of last season through injury, has been close to the side for some time and we think he is ready to take the step up from a short ODI career into the longer form of the game.

"With Shayne O'Connor capable of long spells, and with the pace variation offered by either Cairns or Styris, along with Daryl Tuffey and the spin from Paul Wiseman and Brooke Walker, plus medium pacers from Nathan Astle and Craig McMillan, we will have plenty of bowling options and back-up for the series," Hadlee said.

Walmsley, 27, played his only Test cricket in the 1994/95 series against Sri Lanka. He has played 26 first-class games and taken 80 wickets at an average of 28.17.

Penn has played only four One-Day International matches for New Zealand. He has played 36 first-class matches and taken 133 wickets at 25.36.

The first Test match of the tour will start in Bloemfontein on Friday, November 17.

While the injuries have blunted New Zealand's strike power, Hadlee refuses to be put off by the situation.

"It is very challenging and exciting," he said.

© CricInfo