Cricket: Vettori believes Pakistan can dig deep

Dan Vettori. Photo / Hawkes Bay Today

Even if Pakistan lose several players to lengthy bans over spot fixing allegations, New Zealand captain Dan Vettori believes it won't take long for others to fill the void.

With suspensions, perhaps even life bans, hovering over captain Salman Butt and senior bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer - and possibly others to come under investigation - the likelihood of Pakistan arriving in December for their test and limited-overs tour at full strength are slim.

The new ball pair, alleged to have delivered no-balls to bookmakers orders against England at Lord's last month, are rated arguably the best opening attack in the game; Butt is among Pakistan's senior batsmen.

But such is the talent within Pakistani cricket, Vettori isn't expecting them to be a soft touch this summer.

"Pakistan are fortunate because they have so many talented players," he said yesterday. "Mohammad Aamer wasn't on anyone's radar 12 months ago, but they have a habit of producing amazing cricketers. So in terms of personnel I wouldn't be surprised if Pakistan bounce back really quickly if they do lose a few guys."

Vettori's disappointment at the spot fixing allegations is compounded as more claims are made since the initial revelations in Britain's News of the World newspaper of August 29.

"Once you hear more allegations and more innuendo comes out, you worry if that is true as well. Twelve months ago you'd have hoped nothing like this was happening. Now what's the next thing coming along, that's the scary thing."

Vettori, who has played 31 international matches against Pakistan in his 13-year career, said he'd not been in a situation on the field where he immediately thought something fishy had just taken place against the Pakistanis.

"But you do reflect on things, and you start to think 'maybe that wasn't quite right'," he said.

His big worry before the December-January tour is that the crowd numbers will suffer if there is a residual suspicion of Pakistan's cricket.

"That's the greatest concern, that people don't want to turn up because they think the games or certain events have been fixed," he said.

Strong deterrents are needed and that will help people "to start to believe the cricket is clean and they can enjoy it for the right reasons".

Vettori and the rest of the contracted New Zealand players were in Auckland yesterday ahead of tonight's cricket awards. He is a finalist in all five senior men's categories.