Fleming warns Black Caps

Former New Zealand skipper warns of taking Bangladesh too lightly.

Last updated: 24th December 2007

Fleming Stephen New Zealand

Fleming: Bangladesh warning

We have to get away from that and try and stamp some authority with the willow in hand.

Stephen Fleming
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Former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming has warned the under-pressure Black Caps that any negativity will be seized upon by Bangladesh in their upcoming tour.

A New Zealand XI containing Fleming lost a Twenty20 match against Bangladesh by four wickets in Hamilton as the tourists showed they should not be underestimated.

The Black Caps go into the one-day and Test series with Bangladesh under pressure after disappointing results in South Africa and Australia, but Fleming has warned not to take Bangladesh lightly.

Fleming, who still plays Test cricket but has retired from international one-dayers, says that New Zealand must play positively to avoid an upset.

"If we're tentative, they'll put up a fight," Fleming told the New Zealand Herald.

Batting

Fleming pinpointed the Bangladesh batsmen as the main threat for New Zealand, saying: "They've got good stroke-makers.

"There's not a lot of fear in some of their players and on their day they can come off - we've seen that in some of the upsets they've caused at World Cups."

The care-free Bangladesh attitude is in sharp contrast to the nervous, tentative approach from New Zealand after a poor run of form collectively.

Fleming admitted: "Their batting is probably almost the opposite of where our batting unit is.

"They seem full of confidence, and they don't really have a lot of fear. The consequence of them playing a bad shot and getting out doesn't seem to be there.

"It feels very tentative with the (New Zealand) batting unit - there's been a lot of focus on it, the performances haven't been great and with that comes a certain amount of tension.

"Coming into the side, you could feel that, the way the guys played. We have to get away from that and try and stamp some authority with the willow in hand."

Bangladesh will start their pursuit of a first competitive victory over New Zealand with the first of the three-match ODI series on Boxing Day in Auckland. The two-Test series begins in Dunedin on January 4.