Cricket: Last shot at redemption

Chairman of New Zealand Cricket Chris Moller, left, and CEO Justin Vaughan announce a cricket committee to review the running of the Black Caps. Photo / NZPA

The Black Caps have been permitted a last shot at redemption in their upcoming cricket tour of India, New Zealand Cricket chairman Chris Moller said today.

The NZC board today held a 90-minute meeting with Black Caps captain Daniel Vettori, coach Mark Greatbatch and high performance director Roger Mortimer.

At a media conference afterwards, NZC signalled a measured response to the Black Caps' disastrous 4-0 one-day whitewash against Bangladesh, with Moller saying it was important the team be given the chance to redeem themselves.

"We believe that the team needs to be given the chance to demonstrate that they can perform: the players must take responsibility," he said.

The New Zealanders are scheduled to play three tests on the sub-continent, the first beginning on November 4, and five one-day internationals, the last on December 10.

The measure of what constituted success in India was still open, Moller said.

"We didn't get down to saying we want to win X amount of matches. That's something we should take on board and consider.

"We certainly don't want to see a string of losses."

NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan said it was difficult to quantify what constituted success.

"We'll know it when we see it. We shouldn't underestimate the size of the challenge in front of us, particularly in the test series.

"India are the No 1 ranked team, they're playing at home - they are formidable, no question. That's a pretty tough assignment."

One possibility was that an independent observer could travel with the team to monitor preparation and performance.

"That's something we may want to reflect on next week, in terms of the absolute measure of improvement," Vaughan said.

Moller confirmed that possibility was discussed, and said management would give it consideration.

Vaughan said it was clear what was required from the Black Caps in India.

"We want to see some real fight, we want to see production out of our top order batting. We cannot see a repeat of what we saw in the last series against Bangladesh, and in the latter part of the series in Sri Lanka."

Moller described today's meeting as "comprehensive and robust", following on from nine hours of review meetings yesterday with NZC management and Sparc's general manager high performance Martin Toomey.

Moller said there would be no immediate changes to the Black Caps management structure, but announced the establishment of a cricket committee, which he said was in line with almost every other national cricket body around the world.

The committee will comprise former international cricketers Stephen Boock and Rob Hart, High Court judge Sir John Hansen, and Moller.

Up to three independent members will also be co-opted to the committee, Moller emphasising that some will be "very skilled and played at the very top levels of New Zealand cricket".

"The remit of that committee will run from the grass roots of the game right through to the elite level, including the Black Caps," he said.

The New Zealand cricket team's management, coaching and selection structures would be "comprehensively reviewed".

Moller said the timing of the review and the formation of the committee were probably not likely to come together until after the Indian tour.

The Black Caps team for the India tour is scheduled to be named on Sunday, leaving six days later.

- NZPA