Fleming won't be coaxed out of quitting - Vettori

Daniel Vettori, the New Zealand captain, feels Stephen Fleming may not be easily swayed out of thoughts of an early retirement. Fleming, a former captain, was tipped to quit Tests after the forthcoming tour of England but recent reports have suggested he could retire sooner, after the third Test against England in Napier next month.

"If you know Stephen, he doesn't get his arm twisted on too many things," Vettori told the New Zealand Herald. "Stephen has always been strong in his thoughts and decisions. I don't think it will be my place to try and twist his arm. It's his decision. We'd love to have him as long as we can.

"People at 34 or 35 start reflecting on their careers and other things they may want to do. We'll just sit tight and wait for Stephen's decision."

It was reported that Fleming's decision was prompted by family reasons, with his wife expecting their second baby in June. He quit one-dayers after the World Cup last year and was relieved of the Test captaincy in September. He is also one of the contracted players of the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) set to commence in April.

Though yet to confirm the retirement plans, Justin Vaughan, New Zealand Cricket's chief executive, confirmed he was in discussions with Fleming on his future.

"We all know he's coming to the end of it," Vaughan told the paper. "We are discussing exactly where he draws the line. Obviously he has made a fantastic contribution."

Fleming's exit would be the latest in an exodus of senior players over the last year, with the likes Nathan Astle and Craig McMillan quitting all forms of the game. Scott Styris recently quit Tests to focus on his limited-overs career and question marks still remain over fast bowler Shane Bond's future after signing up with the Indian Cricket League, a league not sanctioned by the ICC or cricket boards across the world. As a result, Bond lost his contract with the New Zealand board.

Vettori, however, put a positive spin on things and said New Zealand only had everything to gain, with opportunities aplenty for the youngsters, echoing coach John Bracewell's comments recently that it was time to look to the future.

"And the guys who've come in so far, like the Jesse Ryders and Tim Southees, do give me a lot of excitement for the future," Vettori said. "And it's not just going to be us rebuilding all the time, we've actually got players who can compete at international level."