Cricket: Skipper's role no problem, says Vettori

Daniel Vettori

Daniel Vettori is poised to continue as stand-in New Zealand captain after yet another setback for Stephen Fleming.

Still on the comeback trail after having a tumour removed from his face last month, Fleming yesterday broke the middle finger of his left hand while warming up for the third day of the State Championship match against Central Districts.

New Zealand manager Lindsay Crocker said that Fleming was struck on the end of the finger during a fielding drill at the Basin Reserve, and that subsequent x-rays revealed that a piece of bone had broken off at the base of the finger.

Fleming batted at No 5 for Wellington after the x-ray, but was dismissed leg before wicket for seven by Central paceman Ewen Thompson, and watched from the grandstand as his side were beaten by 54 runs.

"Stephen was able to bat in the match but it will be 24 hours before we know the extent of the injury," Crocker said.

Finger injuries can often prove a significant distraction for top-order batsmen, particularly if they contribute to a weakness in the top-hand, which is likely to be the case for the left-handed Fleming.

However, close friend and caretaker skipper Vettori couldn't resist a good-natured jibe when he heard the news last night, saying Fleming should be fine because he hardly ever used his top-hand, anyway.

New Zealand host Sri Lanka in the first of four one-day internationals in Queenstown on December 31, and coach John Bracewell is expected to name his squad tomorrow, in time for a four-day camp at the Southern Lakes over Christmas.

Vettori proved an able lieutenant when Fleming was ruled out of the first couple of Chappell-Hadlee matches against Australia, and came into his own during the final game at Christchurch, when New Zealand chased down a world record total.

He said last night that the while the decision was clearly not his, he'd be excited about filling the captaincy once more for the opening games against Sri Lanka.

"I'll be ready if needed," he said. "It could be similar to the last time when Flem was sidelined because of his operation, and I've got to admit that I enjoyed the experience.

"I must say I found it very stimulating. It was a roller-coaster throughout but I didn't feel overawed and, if anything, I'd love to have the chance to do it again."

For all that, the finger injury couldn't have come at a worse time for Fleming, who has already missed most of the Chappell-Hadlee series, and was last year hampered by a mysterious sleeping sickness.

To make matters worse for the expectant father, he had to watch from the stands yesterday as his Wellington side first collapsed, then fought bravely, and then collapsed again; eventually losing outright with a day still to be played.

Set 329 to win after bowling out Central for 274, Wellington briefly raised hopes of an unlikely win before crumbling against an opposition pace attack led by left-armer Thompson - who snared four wickets.

With Canterbury finishing off Otago with a minimum of fuss yesterday afternoon, the only third round State Championship match still in progress this morning will be at Eden Park's outer oval, where Vettori's Northern Districts side are poised to take first innings points.

Having been dismissed for 254 yesterday morning, Northern took full control of the match during another rain-affected afternoon, reducing the star-studded Aucklanders to 172 for nine when the last squall of the day swept through.

Northern all-rounder Joey Yovich continued his impressive championship form, following up his first innings half century with a match-swaying seven-wicket bag to leave the hosts well behind the game.

Vettori said that Yovich - who scored a century in the last round - faced a difficult job in trying to push for a place in the middle-to-lower order of the New Zealand side, but was starting to make his presence felt. "You could say that Scotty Styris, Jake Oram and Chris Cairns have got numbers five to seven all sewed up, but - as Australia have shown - there's nothing better than having genuine contenders knocking on the door."