KEY POINTS:
He cannot seem to lose a toss, his players are bullying Bangladesh, but Daniel Vettori is still not quite at one with his role as New Zealand's cricket captain.
Understandably, after just three tests in charge, New Zealand's leading spinner admits he is still striving to strike a
happy balance with the responsibility he assumed from Stephen Fleming.
South Africa was hardly the ideal start - the Proteas inflicted two crushing defeats - though Bangladesh have proven far easier to handle.
Still, Vettori was not entirely satisfied with his tactical appreciation during the Black Caps nine-wicket win in Dunedin and was hoping the series finale starting at the Basin Reserve tomorrow will see him make more progress.
"Maybe as a new captain I didn't act as quickly as I could have and waited until overnight to actually think things through," Vettori said of New Zealand's only blemish at University Oval - a day-two drop off that saw Bangladesh score 148 without loss.
"Hopefully it's a little bit of a learning curve for me."
Vettori admitted one of the biggest issues he faced was reinventing his working relationship with Fleming, a close friend who was disappointed to relinquish the test reins last year.
"It's trying to get that balance .... it's always difficult," he said.
"You don't want to rely too heavily on him, or not use him enough.
"We're working through that relationship at the moment and it seems to be going well.
"He probably sits back and waits for me to come to him - I think he feels most comfortable with it that way as opposed to trying to impose himself on any situation."
For his part Fleming was happy to stand at first slip and focus on being New Zealand's most experienced batsman.
"We don't really talk, he doesn't come to me at all really," he said.
"He knows what he wants to do. If he wants to talk I'll still be there, but he seems pretty keen to do it his way."
Vettori picked out vice-captain and wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum as his primary on field lieutenant.
"He's got a real good feel for the game, he's behind the stumps and can see things at a better angle particularly from the bowling perspective."
With a second victory under his stewardship all but assured next week, Vettori maintained motivation would not be an issue.
"When you've come off as tough a time as what we had in South Africa and Australia you look forward to the games you're supposed to win.
"There's no letting off within the team. It's almost the opposite - guys are pushing harder to get the result we need in even an better fashion than Dunedin."
Vettori had an open mind should he win the toss at Mohammad Ashraful's expense for a fifth successive time.
"When you come to the Basin you think you bowl first. It's sticky and there's a little bit of moisture but this one looks a little deader than normal."
Either way, his aim was to "declare for the first time in my captaincy".
Vettori was also comfortable with New Zealand only batting once, in what is their final competitive hit out before England arrive.
"If we can put on a big score and the key players in the top six make sure they bat for a long time and score big runs then I think we'll be satisfied with that."
The only selection issue pits Iain O'Brien against Michael Mason for the third seamer's role.
Wellingtonian O'Brien appears to have the inside running after an analysis of two for 59 from 22 overs in Dunedin.
"Iain did a pretty good job in the last test, particularly in the first innings though he didn't get any wickets," Vettori said.
"We might get a day of big wind .... someone has to bowl into it and Iain's probably done that a lot over his Wellington career."
Meanwhile, Bangladesh coach Jamie Siddons was trying to strengthen his batting after his top order have disappointed - apart from openers Tamim Iqbal and Zunaed Siddique.
Allrounder Shakib Al Hasan's superior batting might see him come replace specialist spinner Enamul Haque.
Siddons was pleasantly surprised when inspecting the wicket.
"We'd love to have a bat on it. It's certainly not the threatened green seamer we expected to get all tour."
- NZPA
