A painful loss

New Zealand lost the second Test against England after having the upper hand and Mark Richardson believes Daniel Vettori should be mulling over the lost opportunity more than most because he blew the opportunity to do something he has not done for 11 years/78 Test matches - take five wickets or more in a test innings in a game that New Zealand has gone on to win (excluding Bangladesh). He writes in the New Zealand Herald:

It's wrong to respond to this revelation by simply saying Vettori is not accomplishing his core responsibility of bowling his country to victory because there is so much more to Vettori's contribution to New Zealand cricket than simply taking wickets on the last day of a Test match, important though that is. There is no question of Vettori's quality, versatility and consistency as a Test bowler.

What should hurt the most for Vettori right now is that, regardless of the third innings batting calamity, 296 was plenty of runs to play with on that Old Trafford pitch and it was all set up for him to win the match with his primary skill.