After an impressive showing away to champion team Australia, New Zealand will be looking to record its first Test series victory at home since defeating the West Indies 2 - 0 in December 1999. Victory against Bangladesh in the first Test series between the countries would consolidate New Zealand's fourth position on the ICC Test Championship table. A win would push its series points average up to 1.06 (17 points from 16 series) from its current 1.00.

A first ever victory for Bangladesh would not affect the overall placings, though New Zealand would lose ground on Sri Lanka and England in joint third place, as its points average would drop to 0.94 , marginally ahead of the West Indies.

A drawn series would enforce the status quo, with New Zealand moving to 16 points from 16 series. This would neither make ground on the third placed teams nor concede any advantage to the West Indies in fifth place. A draw would though be significant to Bangladesh, giving it both its first Championship point and best result to date in Test cricket.

ICC Test Championship Table, 13th December 2001

Team	      Played   Won     Lost   Drawn   Points   Average
Australia	13	9	2	2	20	1.54	
South Africa	16     11	3	2	24	1.50	
England	        14	7	5	2	16	1.14	
Sri Lanka	14	7	5	2	16	1.14	
New Zealand	15	6	6	3	15	1.00	
West Indies	14	6	7	1	13	0.93	
Pakistan	15	3	7	5	11	0.73	
India	        13	3	7	3	 9	0.69	
Zimbabwe	16	3      11	2	 8	0.50	
Bangladesh	 2	0	2	0	 0	  -	

ICC Match Officials
Referee
Barry Jarman, who played 19 Tests for Australia, will be the referee for the inaugural two match Test series. This will be his tenth Test series as a match referee and his first since refereeing India v Zimbabwe in 2000.

Umpires
Dave Orchard of South Africa will stand as the ICC panel umpire in the first Test match in Hamilton (18th to 22nd December) and Daryl Harper of Australia will take charge of the second Test in Wellington (26th to 30th December).

ICC Biographies
Barry Jarman (17/02/36)
Appointed to ICC Match Referees Panel: 1994
Test Match Series as ICC Referee: 9

Dave Orchard (24/06/48)
Appointed to ICC Umpires Panel: 1996
Test Matches as ICC Panel Umpire: 11.
Total Test matches: 25

Daryl Harper (23/10/51)
Appointed to ICC Umpires Panel: 1999
Test Matches as ICC Panel Umpire: 8.
Total Test matches: 14

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