Daniel Vettori
The ICC inteview BLACKCAPS captain before the first Test against Sri Lanka.
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The last time New Zealand won a test series in Sri Lanka was 1984 when Richard Hadlee took 23 wicket to win the series two to nothing. Since then the Kiwi’s have been there four times and haven’t won. Is there any reason why you are going to win this time around?
“It’s certainly going to be a tough ask. We all know that Sri Lanka is playing pretty well and they’ve got a strong and pretty experience line up and their bowlers in particular have stepped up lately. We’re hoping we can counter their bowlers. We’ve got a relatively inexperienced batting order but think that if we can do that then we give ourselves a reasonable chance of winning over here.”
You’ve hired a Saqlain Mushtaq as a bowling consultant. Is that to help you the spinner or is that to help the Kiwi batsmen?
“It’s a bit of both. I personally worked with him in England when we were there for the Twenty20 World Cup and found him very beneficial so we got him on board for the spin bowlers at the start but he’s been a real help for some of the batsmen understanding the way that the Sri Lankan bowlers bowl. It’s fortunate enough that he can bowl all the balls that Mendis bowls and the way Muralitharan bowls so he’s given us an insight into that. He’s been able to articulate all his ideas really easily to the guys and they’ve found him really good.”
Is there a left-arm equivalent of the doosra? Has he told me about that?
“It’s the same thing. You’ve just got to learn how to bowl it. When people see it on TV they think it’s something they can try out but these guys like Muralitharan and Saqlain have worked on it for a number of years and have been able to master it over a long period of time. It’s something that I’d love to and talking to him about it – we’ve had some good chats about it”
Is your wrist capable of doing it do you think?
“It’s tough and like I said it takes a long time to master it. It’s not something you learn over night but I think that it is something that’s doable and think you can do it without doing yourself in jeopardy of coming under the laws of the ICC. I suppose that’s a difficult thing for young spinners now trying to balance up the doosra and not going past that 15 degrees.”
I just want to talk about Shane Bond. I see he’s probably going to play in the ODI’s but he’s not due for the Test series. Can you enlighten us on that?
“It’s mainly because Shane hasn’t played a lot of four day cricket. He didn’t play last summer in our domestic competition and so in a lot of ways it came from him. He wants to play test cricket again but does need some more game time. I think the Pakistan series at home will be the goal for him to be ready for that as a Test mach player and hopefully with a build up of a few one dayers and some first-class cricket will allow him to do that.”
Daryl Tuffey and yourself are the only two players from the New Zealand team to have played a Test in Sri Lanka. Is there any good advice you can give you team mates?
“I suppose the big thing about playing in the sub-continent and how difficult it can be in terms of the weather and it is a little bit of a war of attrition so the big thing for us is to try to be there on the fifth day and try to force a result. I think a lot of overseas teams come here and I suppose get hurt in the first few days and can never recover. We are really trying to put the emphasis on surviving for the first few days and making sure we are there at the end to try and push for the win.”
On a personal note, are you aware, I’m sure you are, that if you get seven more Test wickets you become only the ninth player in Test history to get 3000 Test runs and 300 wickets?
“I’m very aware of it. I’m a statistically minded person so it is a real goal for me and hopefully I have a lot more years left in Test cricket. There’s some stats that I’d like to achieve and hopefully join some pretty esteemed company. The eight previous people who have done it have all been exceptional players so for me to personally join that group will be a really proud achievement.”
Just to help listeners, Sobers, Imran Khan, Hadlee, Botham, Kapil Dev, Warne, Vaas, Pollock and hopefully, I’m sure Vettori.
Murali is retiring from Test cricket next year, perhaps to continue in other forms of cricket. Can you see yourself doing that?
“Well I know Murali couldn’t get 3000 runs so that’s one thing I will have on him. But it’s definitely something I’d like to do. Test cricket is my preferred form of the game. It’s just balancing up what you do with your career. There’s so much cricket on. I suppose as guys get older develop families and try to balance up your priorities while still wanting to play the game you love and also still I suppose wanting to play in the IPL which is becoming an important part as well.”
When you play against Murali do you see it as a competition between him and you? Is there an underlining of that or do you just get on as good friends over the years?
“I think you get on pretty well. Muralitharan is one of the more likable guys in world cricket so there is competition there but he’s one of the greatest bowlers of all time and I don’t put myself in that category so I enjoy watching him and competing against him but I still have understanding that he’s one or the best ever.”
