Vettori demands ruthless streak

Daniel Vettori © Getty Images

Daniel Vettori has admitted New Zealand have to become more ruthless in their approach to one-day cricket if they are to become a consistently successful side on the world stage.

New Zealand looked favourites to win the fourth game in the five-match series against England in Napier on Wednesday, but slipped up during the final overs and could only salvage a tie to leave them needing victory at the AMI Stadium on Saturday to secure a series triumph.

Captain Vettori, who could only scramble a single off the last ball from Luke Wright instead of the two required to win, is well aware it was another opportunity missed with victory in sight.

“We were in a position to win the game,” said Vettori. “It’s something we’ve talked about for a long time - when we get ourselves in those positions we have to be ruthless and finish it off.

“We were probably a touch aggressive, we tried to finish it quickly instead of just ticking along and found in the 48th over it all snowballed for us.”

But despite their disappointment about failing to wrap up the series with a match remaining, New Zealand remain confident of completing a series triumph few expected with victory on Saturday.

“A win is the ultimate, there’s an excitement about the team about 3-1,” admitted Vettori. “If we came away with result we know we’ve played a very good series.

“It’s not been easy for me to get over Napier but maybe some other guys in the team moved on a little bit quicker. It’s hurt a little bit but I think the team has been able to sit back and reflect on what an amazing game of cricket it was.

“We’ve lost some experienced players over the last few years and people were wondering whether we could rebound from that. Seeing performances from the Jesse Ryder’s, Jamie How’s and Ross Taylor’s throughout the series has been very pleasing.

Jesse Ryder has impressed throughout © Getty Images

“We have to make sure it’s not a flash in the pan for them, this is the way to play the game and this is what we want to see for them for a number of years - they’ll carry that confidence over to the Tests, and over there as well.”

Spinner Jeetan Patel and emerging batsman Daniel Flynn are both in contention to replace Iain O’Brien and Peter Fulton for Saturday’s match while wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum has recovered from a nasty bang on his left hand.

While focus is on the one-day series at present, there is also plenty of speculation about how many of New Zealand’s Indian Premier League stars will arrive in England for the start of the Test series in April.

The start of the tour clashes with the latter stages of the IPL, for whom Vettori, Jacob Oram, McCullum and Scott Styris have all joined, and they are currently negotiating with New Zealand Cricket about when they would be required to reach England.

“I’m contractually bound to New Zealand Cricket and we’re working through it at the moment,” confirmed Vettori.

“We’re trying to make it beneficial to both sides without trying to jeopardise what a New Zealand cricket team is trying to do - go to England to win a Test and a one-day series.

“I can completely understand the concerns of some senior players not being there (for the start of the tour).

"It’s an acceptance of the environment we’re starting to move into - it could go the way of international football where guys turn up a few days before the game and have to perform, have to step up, or they’re accountable for not being there."