Black Caps wait on Vettori

New Zealand are hoping inspirational skipper Daniel Vettori is fit to return for the match against Ireland tomorrow

Injury-hit New Zealand will check on the fitness of captain Daniel Vettori before the toss as they struggle to field 11 men against Ireland.

The Black Caps are already certain to head into tomorrow’s Super Eights contest at the ICC World Twenty20 without power hitters Jesse Ryder and Ross Taylor.

Opener Ryder remained in a London hospital for tests on ongoing muscle pain as his team-mates travelled to Trent Bridge, while Taylor will be rested in a bid to nurse the hamstring twinge he picked up in the one-run defeat to South Africa.

Vettori, 30, missed the two group matches with a shoulder injury, incurred in training, and is not certain to return for the first match of the second stage.

All-rounder James Franklin is hopeful of a return, however, following the knee niggle which sidelined him for the meeting with the Proteas at Lord’s.

“We need another couple of physios to get around the boys,” said Brendon McCullum, who has been leading the Kiwis in Vettori’s absence.

“We have to make sure we have as many bodies on deck as possible, get the guys as fit as we can and be able to make decisions on selections.

“We have picked up a few niggles over the last week, and we saw against South Africa that our side was a lot changed.”

If Vettori does not make it, New Zealand’s side will virtually be picked for them given the restricted options within their 15-man squad.

The fringe players answered the call impressively yesterday to keep tournament favourites South Africa to 128 for seven.

“If we don’t have the chance to pick from our whole quota of players, then the guys who go on the field have to try to do the job,” added McCullum.

“Considering we had three guys come back into the mix and took on an unchanged, impressive South African side, and competed the way we did was a small step forward.

“Obviously not winning hurts a little bit, but the confidence will still be there and we now have a huge job over the next six days to qualify for the semi-finals.”

New Zealand thundered to their 90-run target in six overs against minnows Scotland, but their chase of a modest 129 for victory last night proved in vain despite losing only four wickets up until the final delivery and McCullum’s fifth half-century in six 20-over internationals.

McCullum said: “In the first game, with our batting, you saw the way we want to play, and against South Africa you saw in the field and with ball in hand how we want to play.

“So if you marry those two as the tournament progresses hopefully we will give ourselves an opportunity.”