World Cup: Brendon McCullum salutes Daniel Vettori after 300th ODI wicket
Sky Sports experts Key and Butcher assess why spinner is so productive
Sunday 8 March 2015 09:00, UK
Brendon McCullum saluted “special” Daniel Vettori after the veteran spinner became the first New Zealander to pocket 300 one-day international wickets.
The 36-year-old achieved the feat while destroying Afghanistan’s top order in Napier and has now taken 12 scalps at the 2015 World Cup so far at an average of 11.33.
Vettori initially retired from ODI cricket after the 2011 World Cup but Black Caps skipper McCullum is delighted to have the Auckland-born bowler back in his ranks.
“He is a special cricketer and has been in all three forms for almost two decades,” McCullum said of Vettori, who made his New Zealand debut in a Test match versus England in 1997.
“All credit to him, not just for his drive but his ability to bounce back from injury and his hunger to play for us.
“To see him tick off another milestone gives immense satisfaction to not just him but all the guys.”
Brilliant
Vettori recorded masterful figures of 4-18 from 10 overs against Afghanistan and has a miserly economy rate of 3.00 in the competition to date.
Sky Sports pundits Mark Butcher and Rob Key watched the twirler guide his country to a fifth straight World Cup victory and believe Vettori’s bowling intelligence is key to his success.
“He doesn’t have that mystery ball but he has great control and almost knows exactly what the batsman is going to do,” said Kent captain Key.
“He is so far ahead of you as a batsman, knowing when you are going to come down the pitch and when to bowl a slide-on delivery. He’s a brilliant performer.”
Former England batsman Butcher added: “You only have to go back to the Australia game where he had a 45-yard boundary behind him and David Warner and co in full flight yet he stopped Australia in their tracks.
“Changes in flight are what he is so marvellous at and if there is no spin on the pitch he will change his pace and seemingly have the ball on a piece of string.”
Watch each and every match in the 2015 Cricket World Cup on Sky Sports’ dedicated World Cup channel.
