Leeds: Spinner and former skipper Daniel Vettori ruled himself out of the second Test at Headingley, ensuring New Zealand will take on England with an all-pace attack from Friday. Vettori's decision to put the team first rather than play a 112th Test and become the sole New Zealand record-holder for caps, means fast bowler Doug Bracewell will complement a seam attack with Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner.
"It's a gamble but when you're 1-0 down you've got to take it," captain Brendon McCullum said on Thursday. He will keep wicket for the first time in nearly three years, taking over from the injured BJ Watling. McCullum stressed it was a one-off situation, and hoped to manage the back complaint which forced him to drop the gloves in 2010.
With Martin Guptill taking Watling's place in the lineup, the usual opener will bat at No. 6, followed by McCullum. New Zealand hoped that when Vettori joined them on Tuesday for the coming one-day series that he could replace the injured Bruce Martin. But Vettori's practices came up short. He hasn't played a Test since July, missing the tour of South Africa with an Achilles' complaint and the home series against England with ankle tendinitis. Lately, he was a mere net bowler in the Indian Premier League.
"He didn't scrub up that well today," McCullum said. "He gave it his best shot. He's not quite confident he'll be able to get through five days and didn't want
08:35 AM, May 24, 2013
Leeds: Daniel Vettori was on Thursday ruled out of playing in the second and final Test against England starting at Leeds on Friday after doubts over his ability to last a five-day match. Former captain Vettori hasn't played a Test for nearly a year, mainly because of Achilles trouble, and was only originally selected for the one-day leg of this tour. But a calf injury suffered by his fellow left-arm...
06:14 PM, May 23, 2013
The sixth season of the IPL has reached its business end and the big boys are all set to fight it out for the coveted trophy. The likes of Chris Gayle, Shane Watson, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Michael Hussey, and Shikhar Dhawan ruled the roost in the league stages with others putting up their best supporting acts for their respective teams. But, like everything in life, the exciting of the...
08:27 AM, May 22, 2013
Wellington: Former Test captain Daniel Vettori and top order batsman Martin Guptill have been recalled for New Zealand's tour of England in May and June after recovering from injury. Vettori, who has been battling a long-term Achilles injury, was included in the ODI squad that will also contest Champions Trophy in June, but not the Test side. The 34-year-old retired from limited-overs cricket following the 2011 World Cup in a...
08:13 AM, Apr 05, 2013
The injured New Zealand allrounder has picked out James Anderson as the dangerman for New Zealand in the Test series starting Wednesday. ...
02:50 PM, Mar 04, 2013
Brendon McCullum was named the captain of the New Zealand cricket team on Friday after Ross Taylor was being fired as captain. ...
02:57 PM, Dec 07, 2012
Vettori will miss New Zealand's tour to South Africa starting later this month because of an Achilles tendon injury. ...
09:59 AM, Dec 05, 2012
The match was abandoned due to rain with Sri Lanka 6/0 in two overs chasing 72 runs (D/L) to win. ...
07:24 PM, Oct 30, 2012
Astle averages 22 with the bat in New Zealand's domestic first-class competition and has taken 127 wickets at 34.79 with his leg breaks. ...
08:28 AM, Oct 11, 2012
Saeed Ajmal took 4 for 30 as Pakistan survived a late New Zealand charge to register a 13-run victory. ...
07:12 PM, Sep 23, 2012
New Zealand's key bowlers Daniel Vettori and Tim Southee are likely to recover in time for their opening match. ...
07:40 PM, Sep 20, 2012
Five SA players have fallen ill but are expected to be fit for the team's first match against Zimbabwe. ...
06:39 PM, Sep 19, 2012
Narine was the top choice of the 32-person voting academy, coming out ahead of Chandimal, Bracewell and Pattinson. ...
06:30 PM, Sep 15, 2012
India could only make 11 runs in the last over, falling short by one run, as New Zealand clinch the two-match series 1-0. ...
06:41 PM, Sep 11, 2012
Ross Taylor feels that return of senior players Daniel Vettori, Jacob Oram and Kyle Mills will help the Black Caps. ...
06:32 PM, Sep 07, 2012
Jeetan Patel says they know the art of "fight" and hoped of making a comeback in the first Test. ...
08:40 PM, Aug 24, 2012
New Zealand will take on India in the first of two Test matches without the services of Vettori. ...
08:13 AM, Aug 20, 2012
Ross Taylor says that a lot of Kiwi players are familiar with the conditions here as they have played in the IPL. ...
06:45 PM, Aug 19, 2012
Veteran off-spinner Daniel Vettori has been sidelined for the tour of India following a groin injury. ...
08:44 AM, Aug 07, 2012
Vettori picked up a groin injury in New Zealand's nine-wicket loss to the West Indies in the first Test. ...
07:20 PM, Aug 06, 2012
