THERE were encouraging signs for embattled opener Phillip Hughes yesterday but, in a peculiar twist, his position in the team may have been weakened further by the form of his opening partner David Warner.
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Australia is well placed to record a series whitewash against its trans-Tasman rival but another dramatic batting collapse today could yet leave Michael Clarke's side facing the unflattering prospect of a drawn series against the world No.8 on home soil.
Despite a strong start to the hosts' run chase on an increasingly friendly Bellerive wicket, the likely make-up of Australia's top order for Boxing Day remains as clear as the grey skies that have wreaked havoc with batting in this Test.
Central to the uncertainty is the fitness of Shane Watson and Shaun Marsh and just where they will slot back in if given the green light by Cricket Australia's medical staff.
Hughes may yet peel off the century he needs to convince John Inverarity he remains a Test-class player, but, as of last night, he remains the incumbent most likely to spend Christmas at home, instead of in Melbourne. With 169 required for Australia to win, Usman Khawaja and Ricky Ponting are unlikely to compile massive scores but both men can still make vital contributions to the run chase.
Circumstances have conspired against Khawaja in his short career thus far but a nerveless innings, similar to that he played in the Johannesburg run chase, will count for plenty.
Even if it is not enough to convince selectors he is a better candidate at No. 3 than Marsh - the man he replaced - it could be sufficient for selectors to oust Ponting in a bid to leave a vacancy for him in the team.
Ponting may well have to play one of the few aces left up his sleeve today or risk it all ending in his home state.
Luck was on Hughes' side yesterday.
The opener had yet to open his account when the Kiwis refused to refer a rejected appeal for a leg-side catch off Chris Martin to the third umpire, Aleem Dar. Replays, using Hot Spot technology, revealed the ball had scraped Hughes' glove.
The Black Caps are yet to fully realise the costliness of their charity but it enabled Hughes to sleep last night with more comfort than he would have 24 hours earlier.
Hughes played and missed just once - an extravagant attempted cut at a short ball that stayed low - and left many balls outside off stump with confidence. He even unleashed a sumptuous pair of cover drives, including one off Martin, who has claimed his wicket three times this series, but a sterner examination awaits today.
''In this innings, we haven't started the way we would have liked to, we've been a little bit off our lengths and over-pitched a bit, hopefully the guys can come back and do that [break the partnership],'' said New Zealand bowling coach Damien Wright.
The problem for Hughes' Boxing Day aspirations was standing at the other end of the pitch. Warner peeled off an unbeaten 47 from only 50 deliveries but his rapid scoring rate should not be interpreted as a sign of any recklessness on his behalf.
His innings was a combination of the power that has made him such a dynamic Twenty20 player and the batsmanship required to succeed in the five-day arena.
Detractors will point to a fortuitous French cut that whizzed past his leg stump, but, in a manner similar to Adam Gilchrist, when the ball was there for Warner to hit, his timing was so sweet he invariably found the rope despite the sluggish outfield. ''I thought both openers did a fantastic job,'' said vice-captain Brad Haddin. ''It's been hard work batting at the top of the order with that new ball and they applied themselves well. They hit the ball that needed to be hit but they also left well which is important. I think we're in a good position.''
