Black Caps ready for big guns (6 November 1998)

6 November 1998

Black Caps ready for big guns

The Christchurch Press

Geoff Longley talks to New Zealand cricket captain Stephen Fleming about the coming season.

Stephen Fleming says he and the other New Zealand players get as frustrated as anyone about the Black Caps' inconsistent form.

Fleming's men are about to embark on one of their most demanding years yet.

After warming up with the domestic Shell Conference series, starting next week, the team will have home BNZ series against India (December-January) and South Africa (February-March), before heading off for the World Cup in England (May-June) and a tour of England, ending in August.

"A lot of good work is going on behind the scenes, but we still do not have enough to show for it yet.

"It does get just as annoying for the players to be up one day, but down the next.

"It means we are just not good enough yet, and the players realise that and are striving for better."

"Until we start stringing wins together, we will always have this tag of a team that is underachieving.

"But if we have our best players on the field and keep a belief in ourselves, then we are as competitive as any team around."

Fleming said while the team's support staff had increased with the recent addition of Ashley Ross (technical advisor) and Gilbert Enoka (mental strategist), alongside coach Steve Rixon and manager John Graham, the aim was for players to be self-sufficient. "When you walk through the gate to bat or bowl, no-one can be there helping you. You are accountable and responsible for your own actions."

Fleming is approaching the twin home series against formidable foes India and South Africa with more anticipation than trepidation. "It will be good to get these teams in our own country and conditions, which should help us."

Recently, NZC chief executive Chris Doig said if New Zealand won three of its 10 forthcoming tests, and half of its one-day games, it would have acquitted itself well.

Fleming declined to put a figure on the team's possible success rate, saying a lot depended on the teams and conditions at the time.

"Provided we have pretty much a stable side -- which looks likely -- then that will enhance our chances."

Fleming said India presented a tough challenge with its world-class batting line-up, headed by the likes of batting genius Sachin Tendulkar, skipper Mohammad Azharuddin, Saurauv Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Navjot Sidhu, and Ajay Jadeja.

According to Fleming, seam bowling could no longer be classified as an Indian weakness, with the likes of Jimmy Srinath, Venkatash Prasad, and Agit Agarkar forced to bowl accurately on the flat wickets of the sub-continent.

Fleming hopes brisk leg-break bowler Anil Kumble will not be the force he is at home with the wickets being a little more consistent. Kumble is not a sharp spinner of the ball in the Shane Warne mould, but gets his wickets more through subtle variations in bounce and pace, Fleming said.

South Africa will then provide similarly demanding opposition for its three-test, six one-day international sojourn. Its players may be feeling a little jaded by the time they come to New Zealand after an arduous five-test and one-day international home series against the West Indies.

However, Fleming says he would prefer the best team comes to New Zealand, so the Black Caps can test themselves against the highest-quality opposition.

"That way you know where you really stand."

New Zealand's batsmen will face a fearsome pace bowling battery from the likes of Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener, and Makhaya Ntini. None of the Black Caps will want to lose their wicket to a Donald duck.

"South Africa have got such a lot of good all-rounders. They bat right down, so it's another tall order for us."

Among South Africa's strengths are batsmen Gary Kirsten, Adam Bacher, Jacques Kallis, skipper Hanse Cronje, Daryl Cullinan, and the inimitable Jonty Rhodes, while Mark Boucher is a more than capable replacement for Dave Richardson behind the stumps.

It is expected that the New Zealand side will be based around a core of players, including Fleming, Nathan Astle, Craig McMillan, Matt Horne, Adam Parore, Chris Cairns, Dion Nash, Simon Doull, and Daniel Vettori.

An opening batsman's spot is vacant with the likes of Bryan Young, Blair Pocock, Craig Spearman, and Matthew Bell among the contenders.

Mark Bailey will also be applying pressure in the top order.

A fit-again Geoff Allott will challenge Shayne O'Connor for another pace bowler's position, with Nash hopefully recovering from recent back problems to provide an all-rounder's contribution.

Chris Harris and Gavin Larsen are one-day team certainties, while both are capable of contributing considerably in the game's longer version.

Vettori is the frontline spinner with Paul Wiseman, who had some success in Sri Lanka, providing the off-spinning option.

Fleming said while a career in cricket had to be regarded as a job, he said it was more than that.

"It's like most jobs in every respect, having its ups and downs and having certain requirements and expectations of performance.

"But this job is pretty special because the players love the game and what they are doing, and know that half a million New Zealanders would like to take their places."

Source :: The Christchurch Press (https://www.press.co.nz/)