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PERTH, Australia, Nov 29 (AFP) - New Zealand youngster Lou Vincent faces a huge challenge when he opens the batting for his country here in the deciding third Test against Australia, his captain Stephen Fleming conceded Thursday.

In his debut Test, the 23-year-old Vincent -- New Zealand born, but Australian raised -- will face the new ball with Mark Richardson against one of the most hostile attacks of all time and on a pitch considered one of the fastest in the game.

After the first two rain-ruined games in Brisbane and Hobart were drawn, New Zealand are hoping to snatch the Trans-Tasman Trophy from Australia's grasp at Perth's WACA ground.

"It is a massive ask for Lou, but it is one of those situations when you come down to the last game of the series, and you take a risk but with the intention of trying to win the match," said Fleming.

"It's a difficult job opening here. You look at a lot of touring teams over the past, and their opening pairs have been disrupted because the Australians are very good with the new ball.

"But Lou Vincent is a quality player who is also positive. That's one thing other players may not have done -- been positive.

"While you have to appreciate that the Australians are going to come at you -- and come at you hard -- if you can score some runs and be positive, it has a rippling effect through the order," he said.

"Lou also has a fantastic attitude towards the game, and his style of cricket is probably better suited to this type of wicket."

Australian captain Steve Waugh said his bowlers had seen little of Vincent -- and this could be to his advantage.

"We don't really know much about him," he said. "We don't really know how to bowl to him. I have seen a bit of him on TV and he looks to be a good player.

However, Waugh warned that the young Black Cap would be put through his paces.

"It is a difficult wicket to bat on. It takes a while to become accustomed to the bounce, and we'll be looking to a few things," Waugh said.

"This is a unique wicket, and you need to have played here a lot to feel comfortable when you are batting.

"It really is a challenge for players who have not played a lot here, so we have a big advantage playing in Perth, with three local players as well (specialist batsmen Justin Langer and Damien Martyn and wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist).

Waugh also said the WACA pitch was ideal for his pace attack.

Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie are a formidable trio on any pitch, but they have all performed explosively in Perth over the years.

Vincent was 12 when his family moved to Adelaide, South Australia.

He once dreamed of following his heroes, Allan Border and David Boon, into the Australian side.

But after playing junior cricket in South Australia and showing plenty of promise, he found his way into the senior ranks blocked, prompting him to accept an invitation to play with Auckland.

He has been batting in the New Zealand middle order on tour, but says he is more than happy to accept the call to face the new ball -- a job the discarded Matthew Bell did with scant success.

While conceding that Australia outclassed his team in some areas, Fleming said his side also had potential match-winnners.

"I believe we have players in our side who can turn a match.

"We have seen Australia beaten recently by two guys who played out of their skin (England's Mark Butcher, who hit a match-winning 173 not out at Headingley in the Ashes series, and Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh, who captured 32 wickets in three Tests in India).

"I think there is a player in our side waiting to do that, and the exciting thing is that it could be in this game," the Black Cats' skipper said.

"Chris Cairns is the obvious match-winner, and I would love to be the one with, say, 180 or 200.

"Craig McMillan and Nathan Astle are also playing good cricket."

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