Cricket: Vettori eyes final

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori has challenged his team to go one step further in the Champions Trophy cricket tournament in South Africa after sealing yet another semifinal spot.

The New Zealanders, who won the trophy in 2000, made it through to a last-four meeting with Pakistan on Sunday morning (NZtime) after a four-wicket win over England in Johannesburg yesterday extended their trend - but they have yet to take the decisive step to reach a final.

"It is about time we made a final," Vettori told the Press Association.

"There is a lot of determination in the group when we come to these tournaments and there is an expectation of us as a one-day team.

"We have had a pretty good one-day team over the years. Now it is up to us to deliver a little bit more than that," he said.

"We know when we get to a semifinal it could be anyone's day and we are just hoping it is ours."

New Zealand's progress is all the more remarkable given the blight of injuries they have had to deal with.

Fast bowler Daryl Tuffey broke his hand, opener Jesse Ryder suffered a groin injury batting against Sri Lanka and all rounder Jacob Oram left the squad with a hamstring injury on the eve of the opening match against South Africa.

Tuffey was today officially replaced in the 15-man squad by Iain O'Brien.

All rounder Grant Elliott who plundered four wickets against England, injured his right thumb while batting and New Zealand are cautiously optimistic he will be fit to play the semifinal against Pakistan.

As well as eliminating Sri Lanka, New Zealand's triumph in their must-win Group B fixture against fellow semifinalists England secured an extra day's rest and another match at the Wanderers, a venue which suits the Black Caps' seamers.

"We are fortunate enough to have the later semifinal now," Vettori said.

"So that helps us. And, to be honest, 99 per cent of the wickets we play on are featherbeds, so it is not a problem once in a while to have wickets which challenge the batsmen. I don't have a problem with it at all."

- NZPA