Vettori still enjoying captaincy

Skipper says "frank" team talk held after latest defeat

Last updated: 17th June 2008

daniel vettori 13/6/2008

Vettori: all encompassing job

People have to be accountable for their performances and their actions.

Daniel Vettori
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Daniel Vettori has insisted that he is still enjoying captaining New Zealand in spite of the poor run of results the tourists have endured on their current tour of England.

After being beaten 2-0 in the Test series, the Black Caps comprehensively lost Friday's Twenty20 international before going down to a 114-run loss in the opening NatWest one-day international on Sunday.

After their limp display, particularly with the bat, at Chester-le-Street, Vettori and his side held a meeting he described as "frank" in an effort to pinpoint the root of their current malaise.

But Vettori also said that, although he thought international captaincy was a tough job to fulfil, the rewards of a job well done made it more than worthwhile.

Speaking ahead of the second ODI match at Edgbaston on Wednesday, he said: "I am still enjoying leading the team. Of course. This is what I wanted to do for a long time. It is thoroughly challenging but it is also rewarding when things do start to to work.

"That's what we have to get through at the moment, to try and find a way to turn the side around.

"I think I am doing it with my own performance and now I've got to make sure I get the team to come with me.

"I've done the captaincy a few times now. It is an all encompassing job. It is not just a case of switching off at the end of the day and worrying about your own performance.

"You have to worry about everyone in the side and that includes management as well.

"It can be difficult but that is the engrossing part of the job, that you are able to dictate a lot of what goes on in the team, and it can be rewarding when it works.

"When it is not working like at the moment, it is a lot more challenging, but this is another opportunity for that reward and turning it around and making us a better side."

Discussion

Of the no holds barred discussion that took place after their latest loss at the Riverside, Vettori said: "If you keep performing badly, it makes it tougher and tougher. There have been long and hard talks within the group about trying to find ways to improve.

"The talks were frank. They are the only way to get things resolved. People have to be accountable for their performances and their actions.

"Good sides respond to setbacks like that and we are lucky we will get a chance to redeem ourselves pretty early on.

"That is the mood in the camp. We know we need to win this game in a lot of ways to keep the series alive. That is the driving motivation.

"We've got to find a way to turn things around pretty quickly. We've still got good players in the side, probably guys who aren't in as good as form as they need to be.

"It is the responsibility of the senior guys to step up and lead with their performance."

Vettori confirmed that all-rounder Grant Elliott, who has been playing club cricket in Surrey, will be drafted into the side for his limited-overs debut.

He added: "We ran ourselves a bit thin on the bowling options having a straight five bowlers so Grant will play."

Vettori also said that Jacob Oram, currently suffering a hamstring problem, could play purely as a batsman in the third match at Bristol on Saturday.