Daniel Vettori
BLACKCAPS captain Daniel Vettori talks before the first Test against Pakistan at University Oval in Dunedin.
On playing four bowlers..
"You want to perform in all disciplines I think, its probably going to be our focus on the batting when we are going in with only four bowlers we really need to make sure that those four bowlers step up and in the past we probably have a bit of luxury with the all rounder but this time round everyone has to step up and do their job so I guess that’s the key throughout the summer that we get guys performing at the right times.
It will be three seemers, one spinner for this time round."
On the Test batting form…
"I think we have to be honest and acknowledge that our batting probably hasn’t been as good as we would like but I have seen some really good improvements in some of the guys and I suppose now we go into a Test match with six batters and their role is to bat, none of them have to worry about bowling so hopefully then, combined with Brendon and myself, can get the job done."
On being fit to play…
"I wouldn’t say fully, but I will be fit."
On the home advantage…
"Definitely. I think any time you play a sub-continent team in New Zealand , you have an advantage and I think first up this looks like a pretty good deck and if we can put some pressure on them with the ball, with bat then hopefully that’s the key to our series and we maintain the upper hand the whole way through."
On the quality of Pakistan…
"They are a dangerous side, I think they have got a very balanced fine line up and they have got one of the greatest batsmen in the modern generation in Mohammad Yousuf so when you put that together that’s a useful side."
On making team selection…
"It’s probably just telling the person. I would rather tell the person before I announce it, so, I think the best thing has been that there is some pressure on that seem bowling department. I think Tim Southee ran pretty close to the squad and Brent Arnel has been bowling really well so it’s a pleasing decision to have.
All of them could play and that’s ultimately where we want to get to with the bat, with the wicket keeping, with the spin bowling, there is pressure on places the whole time."
On understanding the umpire referral system…
"We are having a meeting after this now to get a bit more clarity on it. But I think its pretty similar to last time.
I think I was probably more leaning towards one. One just got rid of the obvious ones and didn’t allow people to just to go upstairs or for a bit of a guess and I think that’s the reason the review system has been bought in is to get rid of the obvious ones, the arbitory ones, you know you want the umpires to make the decision, you want them to be in the game either way. So we will see how it pans out."
On using all technology available to make decisions…
"Yes well that’s great if its all there then you can make a completely objective decision."
On being in favour of the referral system…
"It’s a difficult one, I think, I have played a long time with no referral system and I have no issues with it but I have seen it work well and I have seen it work badly so hopefully we can get it where it becomes an instrument to get rid of the bad decisions and nothing more."
On the University Oval wicket…
"It looks pretty dry. Obviously worried about it drying out with the hessian on, but I think talking to a lot of people around here overhead conditions dictate a lot of what the wicket does so turn up tomorrow morning and see what’s happening."
On the return of Shane Bond to Test cricket…
"No he seems just the same, I think having a nice build up through ODI’s he feels comfortable back in the team so I think he is just looking forward to. I think he got his piece of mind from the last game when Canterbury played Otago and got through a lot of overs and I think he is feeling good."
On having team training session…
"Yes its felt good. We have been lucky to have the services of Saqlain Mushtaq and John Wright and they have filled in really well and they have added the expertise and I think the team is running pretty smoothly at the moment."
On the being excited about the Test series…
"Yes absolutely.
Yes I talked about it before the series - this is almost the reason why you play Test cricket. It’s the first Test match back home after a long overseas tour. I think this is one of the best things about playing cricket in New Zealand is this first Test and I know a lot of the guys feel exactly the same way and I suppose we want our performance to do that feeling justice."
On the balance of the side…
"Absolutely, I think it’s the way New Zealand cricket has been going for a while now and I think we have got a nice balance and I think the best thing about it is a lot of the BLACKCAPS playing a lot of domestic cricket so we have got a really good balance in Test cricket, One Day cricket and guys being available for the domestic game which I think is really important."
On the Pakistani bowling line up…
"I mean they have got some good bowlers there is no doubt about that. Whilst they may not have the experience of previous Pakistan teams they have certainly got a high skill level. For us to do well it’s going to be us to manage them and manage Saeed Ajmal or Danish Kaneria."
On the threat of pace in the Pakistani line up…
"I don’t think so. I think whilst they are a good team. They are not as quick as some of the guys we have faced in the past so I think they are just highly skilled, and highly skilled bowling line ups are more difficult than really quick ones."
