Andrew Alderson: For Xmas we want ... an off-field boss

Opinion

Given it's the time of year for messages to the North Pole under the heading "Dear Santa", maybe the Black Caps' list should start with the urgent need for an off-field boss.

With the 32-run win over Pakistan, the first in more than a year, the team are on the cusp of returning to a semblance of success on the stage all good sides are measured - test matches.

The return of Shane Bond's venom, the wilyness of Chris Martin, the crisp strokes of Ross Taylor and the all-round cunning of Daniel Vettori mean the team have incumbent talent. Vettori was delighted with the victory and with good reason.

But, even though the win was a good one, with character and doggedness, let's wait before we give ourselves totally over to the illusion of a rosy future.

There are severe deficiencies, particularly in the batting. Can Daniel Flynn make it as a No3, averaging 21.50 in the position since his promising start of 95 against the West Indies a year ago?

Will New Zealand be able to return to an era where Flynn doesn't have to think about striding out to bat when the ball is still brand new - having only touched the pitch, the stumps or the edge of a bat and a member of the slip cordon's hands - due to a lapse in an opener's concentration? Is Jesse Ryder, a man blessed with sensational hand-eye co-ordination, capable of a prolonged career or will a lack of fitness or discipline get the better of him?

There was enough in the dismissals of batsmen like Flynn, Grant Elliott, Peter Fulton, and even Taylor and Vettori himself to suggest that more help would not go amiss.

In Vettori's era as skipper, with coaches John Bracewell and Andy Moles, there have been 22 tests with five wins - three against Bangladesh, one against England and yesterday's effort against Pakistan. There have been 11 losses and six draws.

There's still a way to go before this team mirror the efforts of the Stephen Fleming-led side in what became an excellent age for New Zealand cricket between 1997-2002. With the backing of coach Steve Rixon and manager John Graham then David Trist and Denis Aberhart, men who 'held the dressing room' for the majority of the time, they managed 19 test wins, 18 draws and 17 losses.

So how does this sound as a solution? Vettori, John Wright and New Zealand Cricket CEO Justin Vaughan meet - which may have already happened - and negotiate a clear demarcation between roles.

Vettori keeps all his responsibilities, except that of coach, mirroring a Fleming-type role. Wright assumes general manager duties. However, much like most football managers, top business executives or even presidential candidates, Wright puts his own people in charge of key areas. He is therefore fully accountable for the team's success until, for argument's sake, the next World Cup. This was his brief when in charge of India and by and large it worked. Egos weren't too deflated and then-captain Sourav Ganguly was given licence to do his job on the field.

If Wright appoints his own, it might mean some of the current regime have to brush up their CVs but it could also create new jobs for up-and-comers on the coaching front.

Otago coach Mike Hesson springs to mind. He's also someone who could be useful - and not just at harnessing the talents of the Otago contingent across all forms of the international game, such as the McCullum brothers, Neil Broom and Aaron Redmond.

The situation also needs to be resolved as soon as possible in order to give the side the best chance of building towards the zenith of this season - a test win over Australia for the first time in 17 years.

Dear Santa indeed ...