With Test spots up for grabs, there will be no letting up by New Zealand's cricketers as they take on South Australia from tomorrow.

Kiwi skipper Stephen Fleming today warned the Redbacks could face some fire from pace duo Chris Martin and Shane Bond, who will be out to claim a berth in the second Test against Australia in Hobart from November 22.

"There is a Test spot up for grabs, maybe two, and they're stupid if they don't see that," Fleming said.

"I think they've been made very aware of what's up for grabs and they'll be playing very well, very hard."

Bond, 26, flew into Adelaide earlier this week as a replacement for Dion Nash, who was sent home after the drawn first Test with a stomach injury.

Left-armer Shayne O'Connor is also in doubt with a knee injury.

Black Caps allrounder Chris Cairns will be rested from the four-day fixture at Adelaide Oval after pulling up sore from his last-day heroics, which took New Zealand within 10 runs of Test victory in Brisbane. The Gabba match was his first Test back after 12 months on the sidelines with a knee injury.

While New Zealand was waiting until late tonight to name its team for Adelaide, Fleming said Daniel Vettori would benefit from playing.

Vettori and fellow spinner Glen Sulzberger have spent the past few days working here with former Australian Test spinner Ashley Mallett.

Lou Vincent, who was New Zealand's 12th man during the Brisbane Test, will also play on his old stomping ground, having grown up in Adelaide and represented SA at under-17 and under-19 level.

Fleming regarded the match as an important step to finding the right recipe for the second Test.

"We had an opportunity and we played reasonably well for an afternoon," he said of the first Test.

"There were aspects previous to that that weren't so hot and we've got a lot of work to do to go into that Hobart Test feeling a little bit better than what we are at present."

SA will be buoyed after thrashing Tasmania by an innings and 40 runs at the weekend after captain Darren Lehmann scored 246 and vice-captain Greg Blewett 163.

But Jeff Vaughan was a late omission from the Redbacks' side to play New Zealand.

Vaughan was suffering on-going headaches from concussion after he was hit in the head by a ball during the match against Tasmania.

Chris Davies was brought into the side as a replacement.

Blewett saw the match against New Zealand as a chance to stay on a roll.

"We're trying to keep some sort of momentum going for our season," he said.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA: Darren Lehmann (capt), Greg Blewett (vice-capt), David Fitzgerald, Shane Deitz, Chris Davies, Ben Higgins, Brad Young, Graham Manou, Mike Smith, Peter McIntyre, Paul Rofe, Mark Harrity, (12th man to be named).

© 2001 AAP