Time for Black Caps to show backbone

Vettori looks for series win

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OPINION: The New Zealand cricket team slipped out of the country yesterday for a tour of Sri Lanka where it may not be expected to win but is expected to show some backbone.

The heavyhitters Daniel Vettori, Brendon McCullum, Jacob Oram, Ross Taylor and Jesse Ryder have all been passed fit, which is not to be sneezed at as they all needed patching up at the Twenty20 World Cup.

Once these players were the solution for New Zealand; these days they are a problem because overseas offerings are proving so much of a distraction. If their hearts are not in it they will be skittled by Ajantha Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan.

Oram's situation is not helped by a confidence crisis.

The other day he suggested with a straight face on a behind-the-scenes team television documentary that he had a goal to be the first switch hitter the game had seen - he wants to be able to bat left and right-handed.

Heaven forbid if he tried it in Galle or Colombo.

On a brighter note, McCullum has apparently returned from a holiday in Fiji with his mind on the job.

If he fires with the bat it will be worth staying up till midnight for the two televised tests, the first of which starts in Galle on August 18.

Vettori is a man of strong character and one senses he wants to lead his team out of troubled waters.

On his last tour to the subcontinent he was a one-man band. He tackled Bangladesh on his own and saved New Zealand's blushes with bat and ball.

He should have solid support with the ball in Sri Lanka, though penetration might be an issue.

Chris Martin is best with overs under his belt but he is a tremendous competitor.

Iain O'Brien has been good but disappointed by going outside the bowling gameplan at the Twenty20 World Cup.

Oram will be the third seamer and that part of his game is sound and Jeetan Patel will get plenty of work as the backup spinner.

Patel can't wait to add to his seven tests (26 wickets at 34.61) in five years.

"I'm pretty excited about the opportunity of being in an environment where spinners tend to do well," he said. "It goes without saying it will be tough. Sri Lanka are a really good outfit and any tour on the subcontinent is tough."

As always the batting is a headache. Martin Guptill prefers speed to spin but Ryder can play with soft hands and Daniel Flynn has wonderful powers of concentration.

Patel was not part of the Twenty20 World Cup debacle but has noticed resolve in the squad to turn their fortunes around in Sri Lanka.

"From speaking to the boys they are disappointed about how the Twenty20 went, so we are excited about turning that around and that is a good attitude to take," he said.

New Zealand begin their tour with two three-day fixtures against Sri Lankan XIs, the first of which starts in Galle on Thursday.

THE SQUAD

New Zealand: Tim McIntosh, Martin Guptill, Craig Cumming, Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor, Daniel Flynn, Brendon McCullum, Jacob Oram, Grant Elliott, Daniel Vettori (captain), Reece Young, Daryl Tuffey, Jeetan Patel, Iain O'Brien, Chris Martin.

- © Fairfax NZ News