KEY POINTS:
Here is an earlier selection of your views:
Richard
I'm amazed to see no positive messages about Stephen Fleming. The man has done amazing things for the Black Caps. His average of 32 sits among other great one day players such as Steve Waugh and the eventual winner of yesterday's game Mahela Jayawardene. He has 9 one days centuries to Steve Waugh's 3! Our one day team has always struggled with consistency but you have to agree that with a country of 4 million we're not going to be producing stand out players at the rate that Australia and Sri Lanka do esp. when rugby is our no. 1 game. He's done us proud given the resources at his disposal. He's a classy leader who will be hard to replace.I'd go with Scott Styris but we don't want the captaincy to ruin his average.
Shane
I find it rather peculiar (or perhaps disgusting) reading through the comments regarding Stephen Fleming. Flem has dedicated himself solely to NZ cricket cause over the past 10 years and should be credited for turning NZ into a competitive one day outfit. NZ cricket has consistently punched above their weight, with limited resources and players with their captain continually praised for his leadership from his peers. I thought his speech was spot on, we do not deserve to be in the final and we are somewhat off the pace of Sri Lanka and Australia who are in a class of their own. I, for one, applaud Stephen Fleming and watch with interest as to how NZ cricket will survive with out one of its greats. As without a doubt so much of what he lends to the team goes unseen. Will Vettori have the same mana and carry the same respect Flem does worldwide? I think not.
Lester Baty
While Fleming is a good Captain in the field, as a batsman he tends to let his side down when relied upon, and what urkes me most, is that he does not accept any personal blame for his side's losses. He tends to blame the rest of his team. I would advocate taking him out of any batting line-up altogether.
Owen
There is a belief you should not keep fiddling with your team lineup but, rather, give them time to find form. Fleming's lack of consistent form has tested supporters patience. If Ricky Ponting gets the occasional low score you can forgive him - he more tham makes up for it. Not so with Fleming. He has not demonstrated any acute hunger to win out on the pitch to inspire the team. He should go, just as John Bracewell should go. John Wright should be the next coach and one only has to look at how he turned round India some years ago to see how good a coach he is.
Bruce Baker
About time. I wonder how many One Day Matches he has cost us with his obvious intention to remain at the crease at the cost of Over after Over without attempting to score and with the obvious intention of trying to enhance his own status at the expense of the Team and his Country. (on average 5 Overs without attempting to score). This in a 50 over Match.I also question his lack of aggression in the other form of the game. This in the face of the example constantly set by Champion sides. eg Australia-West Indies.
Charles Peter
Sri Lankans have a high regard for Captain Fleming and it went a notch higher today with his honest educated and intelligent comments and graciousness in defeat. Simon D on the other hand has once again proved himself a loser by calling Murali a cheat. Perhaps he needs some brushing up on his vocabulary.
Gonzo
It is a sad day for NZ cricket but on the other hand it is a positive for Flem to stand down.The knowledge and tactical nous that Fleming has passed down to the younger brigade for the last decade will stand NZ cricket in good stead. Amazing to see all the critics come out when the chips are down, but when we were knocking over the Aussies with great field placings and rotation of the bowlers no one ever doubted Fleming, much less criticised him. NZ cricket should be thankful they had someone like him to take over when he did otherwise we could still have Germon in charge( no one wants that, not even the cantabs, and quite possibly be the laughing stock of world cricket. Instead we are a much respected nation. You ask the other captains around cricket who is the best in the game and they will all say Steven Fleming. Thanks mate.
Mike
I can't believe the typical NZ over reaction to this loss. Making the semifinals of the world cup is a respectable result. Living in Australia for the past 7 years it is clear that Fleming is regarded as the best captain in international cricket. Consistently getting the best out of a limited pool of talent. While his individual performances have not always been outstanding he has always earned his place in the side on playing ability alone.
Barry
Fleming was the best ODI captain NZ has had with the exception of Martin Crowe's performance in the '92 WC. He is respected around the world for being inventive and incredibly resourceful. For the team that he leads, he has carved out impressive victories including the ICC knockout trophy in 2000, test series wins in England and in the Caribbean. As well as a drawn test series against Aus in Aus. Probably the right move in a new age of NZ cricket, but he does definitely not deserve the criticism he has had recently.
Nick
Is Fleming NZ's best one day skipper - you have to be joking! Coney or Howarth would leave him for dead both in their approach to the captaincy and their batting skills. Oh, and what about interpersonal skills - compared to Coney and Howarth, Fleming appears aloof and stand-offish - and if he acts that way with his players, no wonder the team has never fired up under his watch. On the field he has no charisma and appears to do nothing when the game requires some decisive move. The only shame is he thinks he can still bat.
Phil
It is easy to blame the captain of the team for the team's lack of success, and sometimes it is largely justified to do so. In this case, however, Fleming was and remains one of the only points of sustained capability that the Black Caps have enjoyed in recent times. While I applaud the decision to stand down as Captain, as he has had a glowing career and it is time for him to move on and sell real estate or air conditioning or deodorant or whatever, it should not be seen as a case of him falling on his sword.
Fleming's record speaks for itself and should be discussed in hallowed terms. If you want to direct blame, then it lays squarely at the feet of Sir Richard and his band of cretins (aka the selectors) and a training and conditioning regime that is second to worst. We have one of the worst records for player unavailability due to injury. And then the most suitable players who will likely bring the results we expect, are largely ignored. We break the players we have, and we dont use the players we need. Thats not Fleming's fault, thats the fault of NZC and the selectors.
Gary Foot
It's time New Zealand selectors chose players based on their cricketing skills foremost and then selected a captain accordingly. Fleming's recent performance is reminiscent of the later days of Geoff Howarth, who remained in the team for his captaincy skills, certainly not his playing skills. Sadly we learnt nothing from those days and again another player is unduly humiliated into retirement. So what about the NZCA and their accountabilities.
Derek Peach
It may be time for Stephen Fleming to go, but don't forget the pleasure he has given to people interested in cricket worldwide. It's typical of many people who only want to consider "Wins" as success! Perhaps they would be better suited following another sports. The important thing to remember here is that our New Zealand cricket captain is highly regarded by cricket experts throughout the world. Are they all wrong? Or does the armchair NZ critic carry more sway? Get real NZ, let's congratulate Stephen Fleming for his contribution.
Scott Earl
Fleming should step down and make way for a new ODI captain. What is it with the Kiwi ability to lose the big games that count (across all sports!)...As a proud Kiwi cricket fan living in Sydney it always seems to hurt after winding up the Australians of our potential to win the Cup only to go down in such humiliating circumstances...We just don't cut it! Look at Ponting's ability to score big runs and step up in the big games - that is one of the key roles of the captain...What a joke!
Mike
Without doubt Stephen Fleming has been our best ODI captain. The only two who could challenge would be Jeremy Coney and Martin Crowe. I would say Fleming has had less talent to work with than the first and has been more clinical than the second. I think there has been no greater example of his leadership than the VB series in which NZ and SA kept Australia out of the finals. We did not manage to beat SA once but in the games against Australia it was obvious that Fleming was the Commander in Chief with Bond, Cairns and Astle his foot soldiers. Exemplary performances that most international captains openly admitted to learning from at the time.Fleming's final master stroke is to bow out at a time he can still contribute and "transition" the role as opposed to dropping off the face of the NZ cricket earth. With our plans now moving to the 2011 prize, this is Fleming's contribution and it should not be undervalued.
Brett
Stephen Fleming has been an inspirational captain for New Zealand. Over the past decade he has taken a team of generally fairly average players (when looking at the world stage) and turned them into a fairly competitive outfit capable of beating anybody on a given day. So we didn't win the World Cup. Was anybody seriously of the opinion that we would?? We made the semi finals & I think that was as good an outcome (given the team) as anybody could realistically expect. Hopefully Stephen carries on playing for NZ for as long as possible, because he is one of the most talented batsman NZ has produced & we need him.
Calvin
Good news that Fleming has stood down and believe he should also stand down as captain from the test team. On performance he cant really justify his place in the test team either. Time for an overhaul.
Bruce
Most of the Your Views are about what I'd expect from the NZ public - far too ready to condemn and criticise and ridiculous. Stephen Fleming has been a marvellous captain and player and he deserves the highest accolades. It will be a time for change, probably not before time, but if there is to be blame then John Bracewell should take his share for sure. Thank you for an amazing ten years Stephen Fleming. As for the critics - let's see you do better!
Reece F
It dismays me to read that Flemings departure is met by the typical New Zealand 'Tall Poppy Syndrome'. You one eyed monsters, read the stats, Fleming is the most successful captain we've had and one of the most well regarded in his game by his peers. Wake up New Zealand and smell the roses, we aren't the best country in the world at cricket, getting to number 3 is an achievement in itself when you consider the competition we are up against. Good luck Fleming in your future aspirations, you deserve far more accolades than your countrymen are capable of giving.
David
After another woeful performance by NZ cricket it really is time for a complete change. They were poor performers in Australia last summer and beat the Australian 'C' team in February/March- Big deal. Fleming's resignation is an absolute must from the test team as well. But more importantly NZC must dump Bracewell, -he must be the worst coach the team has had period. If he is going to act with arrogance he must back it up with results and on that score he is a failure. The sad fact is, when the NZ cricket team lose it is expected and when they win it is a surprise.NZ cricket will never be real contenders until they get smart and get an Aussie for a coach. Someone like Dean Jones.
Lars
Sadly its long over due. Fleming was a great captain and was a good one day player but those days were several years ago. I think he has made the right decision to stand down even if it is a few years too late. He will join a long list of nearly men who have captained the Black Caps and failed eg Martin Crowe Jeremy Coney ,Lee Germon etc. My only hope is that Fleming doesnt play in the one day side in the future.
Luke Mason
It looks as though the knives are out for Fleming, and the "I told you sos" are well and truly prevalent. NZ Culture likes to cut tall poppies whenever attempts fail. Let's face facts - Sri Lanka and Australia at the moment are simply too good, end of story. We were beaten by a better team on the day. As for Fleming, some of the greatest players in the world have commended Fleming on his captaincy and his strategies. It's not his fault that he's a captain of a team that is not reliable. I believe he has come into his own as a player and captain and we shouldn't forget his match winning strategies and ability to get the best out of our team. He is our most successful NZ captain of all time and as I believe he still has a lot to offer NZ cricket as a player. People like Parore and his gang of disloyal over opinionated reactionaries should shut up. Paraore will always be remembered for his lack lustre performances and his over indulgence ego. People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones! Good on you Fleming for getting us to the semi finals and thank you for your services for the country!
Dr. M Riegstra
Not an expert in cricket, but a staunch supporter of the Black Caps, we know and have said before that Flemings' time has been up for some time now. He should not have captained the team to the World Cup, he does not have the personality to "lead from the front". If anything, in cricket this seems to be important. Next would be Oram,who looks the natural leader. If he has the consistency, which we have not exactly seen lately. May be Vettori than, a bowler is not so easily humiliated in front of his team.
Saumil
Unless our obsession with rugby is tackled, no captain is going to make NZ a force to reckon with in world cricket. On the eve of our semi-final match, the country's main sports TV channel was showing discussion around club rugby! How ridiculous is this?
Just an opinion
I've always said the only thing that Flem is good at is his captaincy, without it, whats left? He isn't an opening batsmen and hasn't been for some time.
Ravi Kalpage
I must say that I do not agree with Stephen Fleming stepping down immediately. There is no doubt that he is an astute and shrewd and expereinced captain. It is his batting that has let him down! He should bat down the order and continue leading the team for the next few months and then hand over to a successor. I do not think that NZ has a ready successor as yet. Dan Vettori has not had recent success with the bowl or bat and therefore will be under more pressure to perform. John Bracewell should be asked to step down first as he should have advised the team batting order better. Stephen would have batted better at 4 or 5 against the slow bowlers. NZ cricket will be the worse for Fleming stepping down immediately.
Shiv
Always felt that Fleming was highly overrated for his captaincy. He hardly ever led from the front, failing with his batting in most matches. His pre and post match comments also frequently came across as arrogant. Arrogance may suit an all-conquering team like Australia not a mediocre one like NZ.
Yasmin
I cant believe people say that it is a good thing about him retiring from 1 dayz cricket! He made his country proud and is one of the best players to walk on earth.
Gerald Rodden
Two thing that stand out from yesterdays semi final with Sri Lanka that to typifies what's wrong with New Zealand cricket. One is the site of Ross Taylor yawning whilst he was batting, it's obvious that he has better things to do the night before than prepare for one of the most important games of his career. the second is Shane Bond's inability to bowl and adapt on flat flat flat wickets. Both need sorting out preferably with a new coach.
Dave Casey
I had a lengthy discussion with the Surrey Cricket club physio on Tuesday, his views are common over here in the UK - Fleming is reputed as a ruthless test captain, often cited as the best in the game. I agree. Talent in the ranks is what we are lacking - If we can get anymore than one batsman and one bowler firing at any one time we can beat anyone. Fleming, out of form (but also victim of a string of questionable umpiring decisions) has once again shown shrewd, fair and honest conduct in stepping aside for the good of the one-day side. The most honest cricketer on the world stage by far.
Greg
Are you all stupid in New Zealand? Look at Bracewell's record,pathetic! Wake up,you Kiwis need to go to the best country in the world to get a coach.South Africa,Australia,maybe Sri Lanka...oh,thats right,Sri Lankas coach is an Aussie.When the kiwis had an Aussie coach,they were competitive. Under Bracewell they have been the same old Kiwi cricket. Brilliant one week,absolute mediocre and shite. Why and how is that when new Zealand have some of the best players in the world. Flemming,Stryris,Fulton,Bond,the great Vettori,and rising stars like Mason and Taylor. The equal of any line up Australia can muster. Wake up New Zealand and stop squandering your resources. That was your world cup for the taking and your coach blew it.(I forgot Oram,who is world class.)
Don
New Zealand Captain & the entire team was under estimated about the Sri Lankan Team. Before Start the Match They gave big Talks about their team & ballers.They Made a Comment as well Sri Lankan Top Order is Weak & their very weak on last ten overs & thier baller like Shane bond can restrict Sri Lankan score like 200 and their only concern only on Sanath Jayasuriya as danger man. Why they don't know all Sri Lankan top order batsmen are dangerous? Look how Sri Lankan batting during last ten overs averaging 10.53 Runs Per Over. Do the New Zealand Captain still believe Sri Lankan top order is weak?Look Big hope for New Zeland Shane Bond Average 8.33 Per Over. Does he capable of doing damage to the Sri Lankan Batting Line ? I suggest to New Zeland Captain Before he under estimate your oponent team he must think is teams capability That why they lost the match.
Lionel Wilson
This is the best news I've heard!! In my opinion Fleming is the No1 reason that NZ Cricket is wallowing in the depths of despair. His leadership is non-existent and never has been. His resignation is long over due, what a pity he waited until NZ were out of the World Cup Competition!!
Eduardo
No he was not a great captain, he was always more reactive and not proactive enough in his field placings. His batting with an average of 32 was poor for a first class player and captain.
Diane McIvor
As sad as it may be for Stephen Fleming, I think his resignation from the one day captaincy is long overdue. His inconsistency has let his team and New Zealand down on too many occasions. I also question whether he should be leading the Black Caps test team, or even be in the team itself. It is time to give some of the young contenders the opportunity to prove themselves.
Sandy
Should have stood down before they got to the Caribbean. He had passed his use by date but for some reason the media continued to beat up his supposed abilities. His batting this season ,generally ,has been appalling. His first century made at the expense of losing the game. For an opening batsman his recent scoring has been poor. When interviewed his comments, I believe, came across as arrogant.
Krish
I believe it was the right move, we need some one who can lead by example where it matters the most on the pitch, look at Ponting for instance. To be honest, Styris will be a good captain.
Darren Mendonsa
Fleming has been a good leader and competent captain. It's sad that he has to go now but we wish him all the best in this decision that he has made. I'm sure Vettori (or the new successor) will have a hard task and a high reputation to live up to. Go the black caps!
Tim
I personally think Fleming's comments after the game were rather disgusting. It gave me the impression that he went into today's game without the drive to even bother winning, let alone win the world cup.
Fleming should seriously consider his future in NZ Cricket altogether.He doesn't look to be motivated and hasn't looked motivated for a while. The only time he does come out with this desire is when he needs to put on a good score, to make up for the string of low scores and get the public off his back.