David Leggat: Wins shouldn't blind NZ to changes needed

If new Zealand's cricket selectors opt to go with the old line of keeping a winning team, they'll risk inviting trouble.

Despite winning their past two games with contrasting but resolute displays to advance to the Champions Trophy semifinal on chalk-and-cheese pitches in Johannesburg, they will need a rethink before Sunday morning's playoff.

They will play either Pakistan, Australia or India, in Johannesburg. The opposition will be known around breakfast time today.

Yesterday's four-wicket win over England was a triumph for smart bowling and bold top-order batting, but should not blind them to the fact they were skinny in the batting.

And they should be thankful they have a good tosser in Dan Vettori.

The New Zealand skipper has a 63 per cent winning record in 54 tosses as ODI captain. Without getting that right at the Wanderers, his team would probably be packing their bags.

It was a dog of a pitch. ODIs don't need piles of runs to be entertaining; a 160 vs 150 contest can be engaging viewing.

This was a lottery. Having scored 315 to beat Sri Lanka on a fine batting strip a few paces away two days earlier, New Zealand did the job on a strip possessing more cracks than Seinfeld.

It looked as if a drunk had stumbled along it squirting lime daiquiri through a straw, and the England batsmen appeared to be seeing double too as the ball alternately leaped, skidded and veered off at improbable angles.

England had already qualified, which might have had a bearing on some of the less than stout-hearted efforts at the crease, but Shane Bond, Kyle Mills, Ian Butler and Grant Elliott all impressed in utilising hugely favourable conditions.

Elliott's best ODI figures are proof that in such conditions speed is not necessarily the prime asset. Giving the ball time to decide what to do upon landing on a ridge just short of a length can be every bit as effective.

On the Paul Collingwood incident, the right outcome was reached - certainly in terms of the spirit of the moment - albeit by a circuitous route. Brendon McCullum was within his rights to throw the ball at the stumps after Collingwood had carelessly gone wandering. Replays showed that "over" had been called just before the ball hit the wickets.

Both umpires were sleepwalking. Vettori - whose mind must have sped back to Collingwood's different response in a similar situation at The Oval 15 months ago when Elliott was sent packing on the Englishman's say-so after a collision with Ryan Sidebottom - won top marks by recalling the batsman. He certainly didn't have to.

When facing a small target, and especially on a piece of ground more suited to motocross, batsmen have three choices: try to bat conventionally and cross their fingers; attempt to eke out the runs (a sure recipe for disaster yesterday); or attack.

The great West Indian openers Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes alwayswent for broke when chasing a similar-sized target, arguing that an early rush ofruns removed any dressing room jitters.

So McCullum and Martin Guptill got it spot-on in their intent -with some luck along the way, but that was always going to happen.

Taking the batting powerplay immediately when the pair were on a roll was good thinking and as Vettori aptly said of a potentially awkward chase, his openers "ripped the guts out of it".

Aaron Redmond must come in for the semifinal, and that's a line you'll not read every day. New Zealand need an extra specialist batsman.

And there should be concerns over James Franklin's ineffective bowling. Depending on which Johannesburg pitch is used, offspinner Jeetan Patel will be in the frame.

But New Zealand are still alive, which is more than can be said for at least three of the more highly fancied contenders.