Hyderabad, Oct. 24 -- Slowly but steadily, Mohammed Siraj is inching towards a landmark that no other bowler from Hyderabad has reached. He has so far taken 144 wickets in Test matches and may reach the mark of 150 wickets in the coming Test series in New Zealand. This will be his first tour of New Zealand, and it is likely that he will relish bowling on the pitches at the two Test venues, namely the Basin Reserve ground in Wellington and the Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

Wickets in New Zealand generally favour fast bowlers due to the way the pitches are prepared and the environment, which favours seam movement. Pitch curators in New Zealand typically leave a substantial grass cover on the pitches rather than shaving them bare. Most venue...