Being back at home after the rigours of touring Australia, and the especially tough schedule of the last two weeks of the VB Series would help New Zealand in their preparation for the start of the National Bank One-Day International series against
Lynn McConnell12-Feb-2002Being back at home after the rigours of touring Australia, and the especially tough schedule of the last two weeks of the VB Series would help New Zealand in their preparation for the start of the National Bank One-Day International series against England in Christchurch tomorrow.New Zealand have lost their last five games in a row, including both finals in Australia, but now find themselves up against an England side who won their last two matches in India.New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming said being at home was a big factor in turning performances around.”We’ve been looking forward to playing at home for awhile. We’re looking forward to showing what we’ve learnt on our development process and playing at home is always special.”Our last month of competition against two very good sides has given us a good indication of where we are and what we need to do for the World Cup so I think in 12 months time we will be a very good side. We learnt some good lessons and have got to put them into place straight away,” he said.Fleming said New Zealand would not be taking England for granted despite their comparative lack of exposure to ODI cricket. The English comeback in India had shown the side’s fortitude and the New Zealanders respect that, and respect all the English players.”We respect all of the players. If you start picking out one or two you forget the other nine and get yourself into trouble. Our preparation is based on thoroughness,” he said.While the call-up of young Northern Districts tearaway Ian Butler was the result of the disappointing loss of Shane Bond to injury, if there is one captain in international cricket who is used to introducing new bowlers to the game, it is Fleming. He has made it an art form.Fleming has not seen Butler bowl in a match.”He has got pace. He is raw but that can be exciting and it is a great opportunity for the young lad and I think it is a positive step looking forward to 12 months time.”We are going to learn something about a young player who could have a role in the World Cup. His job is to provide the strike power we will miss with Shane Bond and from all accounts he can do that,” he said.The loss of Bond was a blow to the side especially after the impact he created among New Zealanders watching the Australian series on television.”He played extremely well in Australia and got good results. He, out of anyone, was looking forward to coming home and starting at home. From a team perspective we are going to miss him, and miss him massively, but we also look forward to an opportunity for another young player.”We might unleash another Shane Bond and that is an exciting prospect to have two young guys with genuine pace with the new ball for the next 12-18 months.”The selection, I think, is a positive move to keep our tactics in place. While it will be seen as a gamble, and it is a gamble, but it is one that is calculated in a way that we think this is the way to play one-day cricket in the future and it is perhaps an indication of the way the one-day game will be played in South Africa.”I’ll have to do a lot of work with him today. I will give him the guidelines and go through the plans quite extensively this afternoon.”It doesn’t really change much from what he has been doing. He’s there to bowl fast, to express himself and he’s there to have fun. While it is a pressure-cooker situation the only thing we can do is, and Chris Cairns will handle that, getting the mental side of things right.”Fleming said he was happy with Cairns’ fitness, especially after the back problems he had in Australia. But he said by the end of the tour Cairns was coming back to full fitness.”I think he’s relished the opportunity to slide in behind two opening bowlers. As his career evolves further, he probably sees that as a good opportunity to finish his career. It’s good for him, it’s good on his body so that is a win-win situation from my position.”The trend of the tournament had been been that opening partnerships were not very high. New Zealand were still developing information on which combination was going to best suit it.”It was a problem for us in Australia and this combination [Nathan Astle-Chris Nevin] is another attempt for us to get it right.”I’m finding myself more stimulated by the one-day game, there is more opportunity to take wickets and the bowlers feel they are always in with a chance,” Fleming said.