Marsh's great record over McCullum

Has Mitch Marsh worked out New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum?

Marsh is too smart to suggest as much on the eve of McCullum's final international match but Australia's premier allrounder boasts an impressive recent record against the Black Caps captain.

Marsh trapped McCullum lbw at the Basin Reserve, dismissing him for a fourth time this summer in Tests.

The 24-year-old also did the job once during the recent one-day international series.

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Only Englishmen Stuart Broad and Monty Panesar, plus South Africa's spearhead Dale Steyn, have dismissed McCullum more than four times in Tests.

Jason Gillespie is the only other Australian to get the better of McCullum so often.

That's across a career that has spanned 100 games and almost 12 years.

So how has Marsh rattled one of the sport's most-destructive batsmen so consistently in 2015-16?

"Probably coincidence," Marsh smiled on Wednesday.

"We always have plans for every batter so it's nice when they come off and you get him out and, hopefully, we'll continue to do that.

"It'd be nice (to get him again). To be honest, I don't care who gets him as long as someone does."

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McCullum's farewell is putting bums on seats for the second trans-Tasman Test that starts on Saturday, with days one and two already sold out.

The 34-year-old's imminent departure is also at the forefront of teammates' minds.

"There was a lot of emotion in (the first Test at the Basin Reserve)," NZ paceman Trent Boult said, adding he owed a lot to McCullum.

"His last one, it's going to be pretty sad.

"Everyone has played with him for that long and he's good mates with everyone in the team.

"He's changed the game ... he's going to be sorely missed."

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McCullum's strong record has not often translated into runs against Australia, averaging a relatively modest 24.59 in 15 Tests.

But Marsh knows the Black Caps veteran is still more than capable of taking the game away from Australia in a single session.

"If he comes out swinging, I'll probably just stay at gully, I reckon," Marsh said.

"If you play against guys enough, you're going to have opportunities to get them out.

"He's a high-class player and a big wicket ... we do always get up for him."

Bowlers to have made a habit of dismissing Brendon McCullum

Six dismissals: Stuart Broad, Monty Panesar, Dale Steyn

Four dismissals: Mitch Marsh, Jason Gillespie, Muttiah Muralitharan, Umar Gul, Jerome Taylor, Rangana Herath