Cricket: Many want Fleming out

A total of 92 per cent of respondents to a Herald phone-in poll have called for Stephen Fleming to be sacked as New Zealand cricket captain.

Asked "should Stephen Fleming be dropped as New Zealand cricket captain," callers leaned overwhelmingly towards the affirmative.

New Zealand's youngest captain when he was appointed as a 23-year-old, Fleming is also now his country's most successful, but at the same time has failed to realise his potential as a batsman.

Despite the poll results, he will head into today's Boxing Day test against Zimbabwe at the Basin Reserve in Wellington with the full support of New Zealand Cricket, following ringing endorsements from coach David Trist and convener of selectors Sir Richard Hadlee.