BLACKCAPS captain Daniel Vettori remains cautious of the threat presented by Bangladesh in the second National Bank Test in Wellington.
After a 3-0 home win in The National Bank ODI Series and a comprehensive victory in the first Test at Dunedin’s University Oval, the New Zealanders are eager to send the Tigers home winless in 50-over and five-day matches.
However, the tourists’ Twenty20 win over a New Zealand Cricket XI last month and the glimpses of their burgeoning talent shown since have expelled any thoughts of complacency.
Vettori said: “I think, from early on, we got a reasonable fright in the first ODI, which we went on to win comfortably, but the threat performance has really hung over us.”
The left-arm spinner admitted as he is still learning in Test captaincy, he will again look to predecessor Stephen Fleming and wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum for advice.
“I rely on Brendon McCullum heavily, as my vice-captain. He’s got a great feel for the game and particularly standing behind the stumps, he probably sees things from a better angle,” he said.
“Obviously we have Stephen, with his multitude of experience. He probably sits back and waits for him to come to me.
“It’s just getting the balance right. We’re just sort of working through that relationship at the moment and it seems to be going well.
“With his experience, he knows most situations like the back of his hand, so it’s always nice to call on what he’s got to offer.”
Mark Gillespie is out of contention for a place, having suffered a recurrence of his shoulder injury after taking three quick wickets for State Wellington Firebirds in the State Shield.
Iain O'Brien, another Wellington bowler, Michael Mason and Jeetan Patel will challenge for a place in the Kiwi attack alongside Vettori, Kyle Mills and Chris Martin.
However, Vettori was pleased with the response of Gillespie, Mason and batsmen Scott Styris and Ross Taylor in particular, to their omission from the first Test squad.
“There’s two guys (Styris and Taylor) I know will have taken their dropping pretty tough, so to go away and pick up the pieces and score runs means they’re still in a good space, they still want to compete and get their spot back."
BLACKCAPS (from): Daniel Vettori (captain), Brendon McCullum, Matthew Bell, Craig Cumming, Stephen Fleming, Peter Fulton, Chris Martin, Michael Mason, Kyle Mills, Iain O’Brien, Jacob Oram, Jeetan Patel, Mathew Sinclair.
Bangladesh (from): Mohammad Ashraful (captain), Mashrafe Mortaza, Abdur Razzak, Aftab Ahmed, Enamul Haque jnr, Farhad Reza, Habibul Bashar, Zunaed Siddique, Mushfiqur Rahim, Rajin Saleh, Sajidul Islam, Shahadat Hossain, Shahriar Nafees, Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal.
BLACKCAPS v Bangladesh, National Bank Series 2nd Test. Allied Nationwide Finance Basin Reserve, 12-16 January (11am start).
Follow the match live on BLACKCAPS.co.nz, Sky Sport and Radio Sport.
