Fleming unfazed by email criticism

The New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming has revealed that he did not have a problem with critical comments made in a leaked email by the former international fast bowler Brendon Bracewell.

Speaking at the launch of his book 'Balance of Power' in Christchurch, Fleming revealed that Bracewell had blasted the national side in an email sent to the former New Zealand cricket captain Ken Rutherford. But, while he didn't mind the actual content, Fleming did take issue with the way it was handled in a leak to the media.

"It reeks of small country syndrome," he said and went on to discuss how he believed that criticism was fine if it was well-founded and thought out. Bracewell - the brother of the New Zealand coach John Bracewell - had made his points in that way, Fleming believed, and he looked forward to discussing them sometime with him.

Fleming told the audience that the New Zealanders had been beaten up a little in Australia, but they looked forward to Australia's return in the summer to play in New Zealand conditions. He said that all had not been lost in the 2-0 series loss, and that he had found his chats with Matthew Hayden in the Aussie dressing room after the match most beneficial

"The Aussies are a fantastic team to socialise with," he said. Fleming was asked how he managed to maintain his concentration, even at such an advanced stage of his career. He answered that there had been comment about his conversion rate of 50s to 100s and he realised that, while getting scores in that range was not a bad thing, the failure to go on had not helped New Zealand's chances of winning matches more often.

In discussion with Hayden, he continued, he learned that the Australian hit man doesn't look at the scoreboard during his innings. Fleming said that he had been guilty of looking at the board, not only for his own score but for the team total as well. So, instead, he vowed to try to avoid looking at the board for the reminder of the summer to see if that will aid his concentration process. But he added that refining concentration techniques was an on-going situation for a player throughout his career.