Cricket: Vettori relishes added responsibility

COLOMBO - Daniel Vettori, New Zealand test cricket's bowling bedrock and reluctant batting hero, now eagerly assumes even more responsibility for transforming his struggling side's fortunes as a national selector.

Vettori has successfully lobbied for his inclusion on a revamped four-member panel, while New Zealand Cricket has also bowed to Andy Moles' demands for official selector status.

NZC yesterday confirmed the captain and head coach would wield greater power.

Instead of being able only to suggest their preferences, Vettori and Moles are now armed with voting rights.

They start their new roles on September 1, alongside incumbent convener of selectors Glenn Turner and Mark Greatbatch.

They replace NZC's high performance manager John Wright who will now have only an advisory role and former international Dion Nash who has stood down.

Vettori welcomed NZC's decision but played down its relevance as he plotted New Zealand's recovery from Saturday's 202-run first test loss to Sri Lanka - a match where he contributed the most wickets (5) and runs (109).

"When...you are responsible for the team's performance, you want to have some control on selection," he explained.

"The whole way through it has been pretty much that way...now it (decision) just formalises it."

Vettori acknowledged his new standing would be seen as giving him a wider power base than even predecessor Stephen Fleming enjoyed.

"It will be interpreted as that but I'd like to think in a lot of ways the status quo will remain," he said.

"I had a heavy involvement prior to this appointment so hopefully my role within the team, and the way I'm perceived among the team, remains the same.

"I hope the players see it in an objective way.

"There are guys who are good friends, and one day I might have to sit them down and say that I was a part of the process that left them out."

When Moles, Vettori's former provincial coach at Northern Districts, replaced Bracewell nine months ago the Englishman had no interest in becoming a selector until he built a rapport with the players.

That process was now complete.

"Nearly a year down the line, they know how I like to operate, I certainly know how they play the game," he said.

"Now we are just moving on to the next phase of the relationship, which is to become a selector as well. I don't see that as a problem."

However Turner was not entirely sold on the concept, fearing relationships forged on trust might break down.

"There's a lot of varying arguments, about conflicts of interest and so on," he told Cricinfo.

"That's probably why it hasn't been done before. But now that we have decided to go down that path, it will be very interesting to see how it does work out, and all of those possible issues, how they unfold."

Vettori laid one issue to rest, insisting he would face the same scrutiny as his teammates if his own form became a concern.

"The other selectors are strong willed people so if my form is not good enough I'll be removed from the team," he said.

"I don't think I'll ever get to the stage where I'll fight tooth and nail to try and stay in the team if things aren't going well."

Meanwhile, the New Zealand camp remain mystified at what caused sickness that flattened the team during the Galle test last week.

The majority of the squad were still in recovery so today's standard three-hour practice session in sticky, humid conditions has been altered so two groups train separately for about 90 minutes.

At least the team should no longer be wary of the dairy products available on tour - Fonterra has shipped over a consignment of milk and yoghurt.

- NZPA