Following the World Cup it's not unusual for a rash of retirements to be announced. They might be from all cricket for which fair play to those who've given so much for the sport. Daniel Vettori is the prime example. They might be just from ODIs to prolong their Test careers (respect, Michael Clarke!) or to focus on T20 earnings (derision!). Alternatively it may be just the first sign of winding down a wonderful career having nothing else left to achieve in the game. That's you, Kumar Sangakkara. Yes, I know some of these declarations were made during rather than after the competition, but I'm surprised there haven't been more.
With players, especially bowlers, well into their 30s, the next World Cup will probably be a tournament too far but the likes of Steyn, Anderson, Younis Khan and Johnson still have a lot to offer their nations. For the 36 year-old Vettori, calling it a day was hardly a surprise. Having returned from an injury-induced international wilderness to play his part in New Zealand's fantastic run on largely home territory to the World Cup final, it seemed an appropriate time to hang up his playing boots before vulnerable joints or poor form made the decision for him.
As befits one of cricket's quieter leaders, his achievements come almost as a shock. Probably because he has been around for so long, on and off, and representing one of the less successful nations. His ever-present specs and beard, worn long before the current fashion for facial hair took off, gave him a studious air. As a teenage debutant, he looked older than his years, and so was his bowling.
The 362 Test wickets and 305 in ODIs appear feeble in relation to stats boasted by Warne, Murali and Kumble. Yet he is undoubtedly the most successful slow left-arm bowler in international history and when you add the 6,784 runs (excluding T20) he's up there with the best all-rounders. Ian Botham and Kapil Dev are the only other men to have achieved 300 wickets and 4,000 runs in Tests, so for all his lack of fireworks and self-promotion he has played his way into not only the New Zealand record books but the annals of international cricketing history.
In all senior cricket, he played 673 matches, scored more than 11,000 run and snared over 1000 wickets, and that's rare these days. His economy with the ball in limited-overs made him an invaluable member of any T20 attack and it sounds like he will be imparting his knowledge with Brisbane Heat from now on. Brendon McCullum may have signalled a new positive, crowd-pleasing approach to cricket captaincy but the sport still needs its Vettoris, and Daniel the original will be missed.
Showing posts with label Daniel Vettori. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Daniel Vettori. Show all posts
Thursday, 2 April 2015
Sunday, 29 March 2015
World Cup 2015: Australia make it five!
A shame that the final proved so one-sided because until today the tournament looked as open as any World Cup I can remember. Whether it was home advantage, extra tactical nous or luck, Australia made their experience tell when it mattered, ending New Zealand's magnificent march to Melbourne.
Maybe, too, the script was pre-typed for Michael Clarke to dedicate victory to the late Phil Hughes and announce his retirement from ODIs. Steve Smith has stepped into the breach superbly, with Shane Watson recovering some form at last. More remarkable was the work done by the physios to ensure the Aussie pacemen stayed fit throughout, and each of them played a part in the nation's success.
I felt that if the Aussies were going to win the final they had to dismiss both Black Cap openers cheaply. In the event, four players were out for ducks but none more significant than Brendon McCullum. He was brilliantly bowled by a 93mph inswinging Starc yorker, but not sure if anyone could have dug that one out. Guptill and Williamson fell before the scoreboard read 40 and, while Grant Elliott stuck around for another 80+ score, the quicks did their job and bowled out the opposition with ten overs to spare.
Southee, Boult and Vettori have bowled NZ into the final but, apart from Finch's caught-and-bowled for zero, there was to be no repeat of the group stage heroics. Michael Clarke can retire with head, as well as World Cup, held high, scoring 74 from 72 balls, although James Faulkner's 3-36 earned the Player of the Match award.
As for the World Cup itself, I reckon it was another wonderful advert for the 50-over format. The huge tally of sixes will please the T20 fanatics but there was plenty to enjoy amongst the bowling fraternity and also those of us wanting to see the nations like Ireland and Afghanistan mixing it with the big boys - and England - in 2019.
So who comprises my team of the tournament?
My openers are Martin Guptill and Shikhar Dhawan. The New Zealander's 237 not out against the West Indies was just the icing on the cake and his captain McCullum's four rapid half-centuries came close to edging out the Indian, whose 137 against South Africa showed that ODI batting is not all about slogging the ball over cow corner. Chris Gayle thumped more sixes than anyone but apart from that 215 he was largely quiet.
Kumar Sangakkara is an obvious choice at number three thanks to his four consecutive centuries, also taking the gloves, and AB De Villiers again demonstrated why he is one of the greatest batmen of his generation. However my number four doesn't represent one of the top nations and didn't even reach the quarter-finals. Brendan Taylor of Zimbabwe accumulated 433 runs from his six matches, including successive hundreds against Ireland and India. His scoring rate of 107 was up there with the best, too. He may have occupied the fourth position but I think Mahmudullah's first two ODI centuries of his career were too important for him to be left out of the team.
It wasn't really a vintage World Cup for established all-rounders but I'll make an exception for Corey Anderson. His wickets tended to be expensive but his 231 runs at more than a run a ball provide ample compensation, and gave New Zealand great impetus in the latter stages of a few innings.
Daniel Vettori hasn't played a lot of cricket in recent years but at 36 and recovered from injuries a-plenty, the former NZ captain was the top spinner of the World Cup. He played in all nine games, took 15 wickets at 20 apiece, conceding barely four runs an over. Despite the talents of Mitchell Johnson and Wahab Riaz, two other left-arm quicks led the wicket-taking league. Trent Boult's seam and swing were critical in the Black Caps' success, but Mitchell Starc's extra pace and place on the winner's podium won him the Player of the Tournament award despite both claiming 22 scalps.
Umesh Yadav enjoyed a productive set of games in the latter stages, pipping team-mate Mohammed Shami to the Eleven thanks to his marginally superior wicket tally. Both proved many people, myself included, wrong about the quality of Indian seamers, but it wasn't enough to beat the eventual champions in the semi-final.
In summary, hats off to Guptill (NZ), Dhawan (Ind), Sangakkara (SL, +), Taylor (Zim), De Villiers (SA *), Mahmudullah (Ban), Anderson (NZ), Vettori (NZ), Starc (Aus), Boult (NZ), Yadav (Ind).
Above all, hats off to Australia and New Zealand for co-hosting a successful tournament as well as providing the two best teams. ICC, take note: don't ruin a winning format!
Maybe, too, the script was pre-typed for Michael Clarke to dedicate victory to the late Phil Hughes and announce his retirement from ODIs. Steve Smith has stepped into the breach superbly, with Shane Watson recovering some form at last. More remarkable was the work done by the physios to ensure the Aussie pacemen stayed fit throughout, and each of them played a part in the nation's success.
I felt that if the Aussies were going to win the final they had to dismiss both Black Cap openers cheaply. In the event, four players were out for ducks but none more significant than Brendon McCullum. He was brilliantly bowled by a 93mph inswinging Starc yorker, but not sure if anyone could have dug that one out. Guptill and Williamson fell before the scoreboard read 40 and, while Grant Elliott stuck around for another 80+ score, the quicks did their job and bowled out the opposition with ten overs to spare.
Southee, Boult and Vettori have bowled NZ into the final but, apart from Finch's caught-and-bowled for zero, there was to be no repeat of the group stage heroics. Michael Clarke can retire with head, as well as World Cup, held high, scoring 74 from 72 balls, although James Faulkner's 3-36 earned the Player of the Match award.
As for the World Cup itself, I reckon it was another wonderful advert for the 50-over format. The huge tally of sixes will please the T20 fanatics but there was plenty to enjoy amongst the bowling fraternity and also those of us wanting to see the nations like Ireland and Afghanistan mixing it with the big boys - and England - in 2019.
So who comprises my team of the tournament?
My openers are Martin Guptill and Shikhar Dhawan. The New Zealander's 237 not out against the West Indies was just the icing on the cake and his captain McCullum's four rapid half-centuries came close to edging out the Indian, whose 137 against South Africa showed that ODI batting is not all about slogging the ball over cow corner. Chris Gayle thumped more sixes than anyone but apart from that 215 he was largely quiet.
Kumar Sangakkara is an obvious choice at number three thanks to his four consecutive centuries, also taking the gloves, and AB De Villiers again demonstrated why he is one of the greatest batmen of his generation. However my number four doesn't represent one of the top nations and didn't even reach the quarter-finals. Brendan Taylor of Zimbabwe accumulated 433 runs from his six matches, including successive hundreds against Ireland and India. His scoring rate of 107 was up there with the best, too. He may have occupied the fourth position but I think Mahmudullah's first two ODI centuries of his career were too important for him to be left out of the team.
It wasn't really a vintage World Cup for established all-rounders but I'll make an exception for Corey Anderson. His wickets tended to be expensive but his 231 runs at more than a run a ball provide ample compensation, and gave New Zealand great impetus in the latter stages of a few innings.
Daniel Vettori hasn't played a lot of cricket in recent years but at 36 and recovered from injuries a-plenty, the former NZ captain was the top spinner of the World Cup. He played in all nine games, took 15 wickets at 20 apiece, conceding barely four runs an over. Despite the talents of Mitchell Johnson and Wahab Riaz, two other left-arm quicks led the wicket-taking league. Trent Boult's seam and swing were critical in the Black Caps' success, but Mitchell Starc's extra pace and place on the winner's podium won him the Player of the Tournament award despite both claiming 22 scalps.
Umesh Yadav enjoyed a productive set of games in the latter stages, pipping team-mate Mohammed Shami to the Eleven thanks to his marginally superior wicket tally. Both proved many people, myself included, wrong about the quality of Indian seamers, but it wasn't enough to beat the eventual champions in the semi-final.
In summary, hats off to Guptill (NZ), Dhawan (Ind), Sangakkara (SL, +), Taylor (Zim), De Villiers (SA *), Mahmudullah (Ban), Anderson (NZ), Vettori (NZ), Starc (Aus), Boult (NZ), Yadav (Ind).
Above all, hats off to Australia and New Zealand for co-hosting a successful tournament as well as providing the two best teams. ICC, take note: don't ruin a winning format!
Tuesday, 15 January 2013
New Zealand - where are the match-winners?
After again succumbing so meekly to South Africa this week, the answer to my question could arguably be answered: "On the treatment table". However, even with Vettori, Southee and Taylor in the side, it is difficult to imagine the Black Caps getting close to Amla, AB, Steyn et al now they have the ruthless streak to accompany the all-round talent in depth. With the prospect of two series against England, I'm afraid New Zealand's job of recovery isn't getting much easier in 2013, and their eighth place in the ICC Test rankings looks set in stone for a while yet.
I read this week a quote from the squad that they felt more comfortable with shorter formats. Hmm. Well, it's true that they seem to come alive during World Cups so what is their ODI ranking? Ninth! Well, if that's the NZ comfort zone, I wonder what discomfort means! Even when their respected skipper Vettori was playing regularly, they were languishing in the same doldrums going back to 2010. At that time, Pakistan were struggling and the West Indies had yet to rediscover their mojo, enabling the team to sit briefly at six in the league table.
Look back a full ten years and New Zealand were, remarkably, standing proud in thrid place behind only Australia and South Africa! How could that have happened? Well, between December 2000 and October 2003, they played ten 'series' losing only one (a solitary Test against Pakistan). My use of inverted commas is deliberate as most of those rubbers comprised only two games. Nevertheless they beat Bangladesh and India (2-0) at home, and even the Windies away, Lara, Hooper, Chanderpaul, Gayle and all.
The class of 2003 may not have equalled the glory days of the 1980s when Sir Richard Hadlee and Martin Crowe were amongst the best in the world. Nevertheless, captain Stephen Fleming marshalled a very useful squad. Mark Richardson averaged 44 with the bat, while Craig McMillan, Nathan Astle and Fleming were also very good international performers. However, to win matches you also need bowlers. New Zealand were fortunate to call upon a strike bowler in the form of Shane Bond - when fit - backed up by the youthful all-rounder Vettori, Daryl Tuffey and even Scott Styris.
How the Black Caps would love to have a Shane Bond firing on all cylinders this year! A team of useful bits 'n' pieces players may get you to World Cup knockout stages but will always get found out over five days. Guptill and Williamson have promised so much but have yet to show sufficient consistency. Credit to BJ Watling for his battling half-centuries against the mighty Proteas but how they missed the late-order stability provided by Vettori. It was also sad to see Brendan McCullum trying hard to restrain himself at the top of the order. Defence does not come easily and he tends to get out to rash, impatient strokes. Perhaps he should try and play his natural game a la Gayle and Sehwag. At least he'll have some runs on the board before he heads back to the pavilion. On the other hand, his side could become accustomed to three-day Tests, and that would be no good for cricket. Venues would never sell advance tickets for the fourth or fifth days! Bowling remains a problem, too. Tim Southee on his day is a very fine swing bowler but he has too few of such days, and Chris Martin is near to retirement.
IN the past four years, their only series triumphs have been single-game contests against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. Nicking the odd victory over Sri Lanka and Australia always helps, and Doug Bracewell will always remember his six-for to beat the Aussies by seven runs in Hobart. He and his fellow bowlers will need more of those this coming year if they are to advance to the dizzy heights of seven in the rankings.
I read this week a quote from the squad that they felt more comfortable with shorter formats. Hmm. Well, it's true that they seem to come alive during World Cups so what is their ODI ranking? Ninth! Well, if that's the NZ comfort zone, I wonder what discomfort means! Even when their respected skipper Vettori was playing regularly, they were languishing in the same doldrums going back to 2010. At that time, Pakistan were struggling and the West Indies had yet to rediscover their mojo, enabling the team to sit briefly at six in the league table.
Look back a full ten years and New Zealand were, remarkably, standing proud in thrid place behind only Australia and South Africa! How could that have happened? Well, between December 2000 and October 2003, they played ten 'series' losing only one (a solitary Test against Pakistan). My use of inverted commas is deliberate as most of those rubbers comprised only two games. Nevertheless they beat Bangladesh and India (2-0) at home, and even the Windies away, Lara, Hooper, Chanderpaul, Gayle and all.
The class of 2003 may not have equalled the glory days of the 1980s when Sir Richard Hadlee and Martin Crowe were amongst the best in the world. Nevertheless, captain Stephen Fleming marshalled a very useful squad. Mark Richardson averaged 44 with the bat, while Craig McMillan, Nathan Astle and Fleming were also very good international performers. However, to win matches you also need bowlers. New Zealand were fortunate to call upon a strike bowler in the form of Shane Bond - when fit - backed up by the youthful all-rounder Vettori, Daryl Tuffey and even Scott Styris.
How the Black Caps would love to have a Shane Bond firing on all cylinders this year! A team of useful bits 'n' pieces players may get you to World Cup knockout stages but will always get found out over five days. Guptill and Williamson have promised so much but have yet to show sufficient consistency. Credit to BJ Watling for his battling half-centuries against the mighty Proteas but how they missed the late-order stability provided by Vettori. It was also sad to see Brendan McCullum trying hard to restrain himself at the top of the order. Defence does not come easily and he tends to get out to rash, impatient strokes. Perhaps he should try and play his natural game a la Gayle and Sehwag. At least he'll have some runs on the board before he heads back to the pavilion. On the other hand, his side could become accustomed to three-day Tests, and that would be no good for cricket. Venues would never sell advance tickets for the fourth or fifth days! Bowling remains a problem, too. Tim Southee on his day is a very fine swing bowler but he has too few of such days, and Chris Martin is near to retirement.
IN the past four years, their only series triumphs have been single-game contests against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. Nicking the odd victory over Sri Lanka and Australia always helps, and Doug Bracewell will always remember his six-for to beat the Aussies by seven runs in Hobart. He and his fellow bowlers will need more of those this coming year if they are to advance to the dizzy heights of seven in the rankings.
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