Fortune favours the brave. It's been an oft-used term during Brendon McCullum's New Zealand captaincy reign and fittingly he delivered it during his final pre-match press call.

It contained a very strong hint that New Zealand will play the second and final cricket test against Australia with four frontline pacemen and no specialist spinner at Christchurch's Hagley Oval. McCullum confirmed hometown boy Matt Henry's recall for his fourth test, for the injured Doug Bracewell, while spinner Mark Craig's role as thrower at slips catching practice was strong evidence he'll miss the cut to Neil Wagner.

The last time New Zealand went in without a specialist spinner was in Wellington in February 2014, which turned out well for the hosts when McCullum's triple-century secured a series-clinching draw against India.

Ryan Pierse/Getty Images Brendon McCullum is eyeing all-out attack for the second test in Christchurch, his Black Caps farewell.

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All out attack really is the only way for these Black Caps who were outplayed in Wellington, by an innings and 52 runs, and took 154.2 overs to dismiss Australia once on a fast-flattening pitch. A coveted trans-Tasman series victory is off the table for a second time this summer, but a drawn series, a buoyant send-off for McCullum and spoiling Australia's ascent to the world No 1 ranking remains. A draw will be enough for Steve Smith's tourists to climb past India.

Smith's description of the Hagley Oval pitch as "green and wet" would have given both sets of openers cold sweats. A conversation between McCullum and turf manager Rupert Bool, after a long gaze at the green strip, confirmed his thoughts.

A green seamer is a great leveller, as it was when New Zealand won their only trans-Tasman test in the last 23 years in Hobart in 2011.

"It's not going to be necessarily a pleasant time out there with bat in hand. Maybe it's one of those times when fortune favours the brave," McCullum said of his selections.

"We'll see what unfolds. I think it will go around [seam around] for a while, yeah."

A pace quartet - with Bracewell instead of Henry - worked for the Black Caps in their 2-0 home series win over Sri Lanka in December, but they had Mitchell Santner's spin too. Kane Williamson bowled in the nets and will be their sole spin option without Craig, who started well in Wellington but has rarely troubled Australia's batsmen.

Fourteen months ago in Hagley's debut test, Sri Lanka sent the Black Caps in and McCullum's blistering 195 off 134 balls saw them to 429-7 at stumps. Tim Southee and Trent Boult then took 13 wickets between them in New Zealand's eight-wicket win. If the ball swings and the moisture remains in the pitch then the dynamic duo might be back in business, against an Australian top-six very rarely tested on seaming pitches.

It's batting where the Black Caps have multiple questionmarks, particularly if Smith calls correctly once more and unleashes recalled quick James Pattinson who took 14 wickets in two trans-Tasman tests in Australia in 2011.

Williamson holds the key, heavily so without the injured Ross Taylor, after he was kept in check superbly by Josh Hazlewood and company in Wellington. Henry Nicholls was solid on debut but McCullum, Corey Anderson and BJ Watling form a worrying core; all short of runs and confidence in test cricket. The Black Caps' net session had a heavy emphasis on leaving the ball and Watling had extra lessons with coach Mike Hesson, with the former rock at No 7 having not passed 32 his last 10 test innings.

McCullum will channel happy memories of Boxing Day 2014 and enjoy his farewell with his mates. It presents a chance for a coveted test win over Australia and to prove New Zealand's strong test form isn't a myth.

Under McCullum the Black Caps have won three of 18 tests against current top-five teams (New Zealand are ranked sixth), and this summer they've had three losses and a draw against Australia, albeit one that went to the wire in Adelaide. His message was simply, relax.

"The majority of games these days are reaching results so you can't be behind the eight-ball as far as we have been [in Brisbane and Wellington]. It's a combination of us being a bit tight and a bit keen to do well and also Australia being ruthless when they get the opportunity."

Smith said the top ranking was high in his mind and was confident his bowlers, with Pattinson in for the injured Peter Siddle, would do a job again for him.

"For me it's satisfying to get that ranking. I think that would be really good for us as a group. But when you're No 1, you want to stretch that distance between the teams. For us that's making sure we play well away from home, and that's really important."

AT A GLANCE

Second test at Hagley Oval, 10.30am start:

New Zealand (likely): Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson, Henry Nicholls, Brendon McCullum (captain), Corey Anderson, BJ Watling, Neil Wagner, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Trent Boult.

Australia: Joe Burns, David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (captain), Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill, James Pattinson, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Jackson Bird.