New Zealand cricket captain Stephen Fleming, carried a heavy dose of realism and some rose tinted glasses to Christchurch yesterday as his team enter a home test series at their longest odds in a decade.
Not since the hapless centenary season against the West Indies and South Africa in 1994-95 have
New Zealand appeared so outgunned on own soil ahead of the first test against Australia starting on Thursday at Jade Stadium.
The most disturbing moments from yesterday's one-day nightmare in Napier were not only Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist's sublime batting and one of the quickest overs ever seen from Brett Lee in Australia's 122-run win ? they involved Fleming and spinner Daniel Vettori.
New Zealand's two big guns need to play out of their skins for the injury-ravaged hosts to even entertain a draw in the three-match test series, but both have clouds hanging over them ? Fleming against Lee's extreme pace and Vettori with his ever-troublesome back.
Fleming, New Zealand's batting supremo, looked vulnerable for a rare time yesterday as he hopped about the crease and fended at Lee's thunderbolts to score 35 and finish the five-match one-day series with a modest average of 15.80.
"I'm just going to keep encouraging the guys to get off the mat and scrap like buggery," Fleming said.
"There are going to be a few hangovers and a few headaches.
"Having a taste at 160km/h you are going to be on your toes when you go out to face the first ball come Thursday, but the guys are looking forward to that fresh start.
"We'll certainly use it, how much it gives us I'm not sure but we'll train damned hard in the next three-four days and give it our best shot. That is all I can ask."
The lack of top-order runs is a big concern, but wicket-taking is perhaps even more so.
Vettori was politely played out by Australia's batsman to the tune of none for 33 off 10 overs yesterday ? not bad in a total of 347 for five ? and ended the series with just two wickets at an outstanding economy rate of 3.30 per over.
But he could only bowl one spell for fear of cooling down and aggravating his back, meaning Fleming will need to use caution when employing Vettori in the first test.
"I'm still concerned as captain but he's doing all the right things as well so hopefully he can play a part in the tests. We need him to, and he's desperate to be there," Fleming said of his spin whiz, who has taken 188 wickets from 59 tests.
"We offered about 120-130km/h with the ball against 140-160km/h so the test matches are going to be reflective of that so we've got to be fairly smart about what we do, and also very realistic."
Chris Martin, James Franklin, newcomer Iain O'Brien and Paul Wiseman join the side free of one-day series scars ? although all except O'Brien were part of the heavy test loss to the Australians in Adelaide last November.
Saturday's win saw the first 5-0 series cleansweep of New Zealand at home after Fleming's side avoided whitewashes with game five wins against Australia in 2000 and Sri Lanka a year later.
Ponting's innings of 141 off 127 balls included 10 fours and five sixes, two of them off Craig McMillan's final two balls to register the highest one-day score in New Zealand.
Gilchrist earlier flayed 91 off 61 balls with nine fours and four sixes as the recalled Tama Canning suffered most ? one for 80 off 10 overs ? in the absence of injured pair Jeff Wilson (ankle) and Chris Cairns (hamstring).
Lee then twice topped 160km/h in a fearful first over to test opener Craig Cumming, later trapping him leg before wicket for 13 on the way to collecting figures of one for 34.
Fleming was nicked out by Michael Kasprowicz for 35 and McMillan offered some token resistance with a confident 63 off 69 balls before skying a catch.
Ponting's only injury headache is opening batsman Matthew Hayden, who is racing to be fit for the first test due to a shoulder injury. Mike Hussey has remained on tour as cover.
Ponting, who averaged 88.66 for the one-day series, said his team had played their best cricket "for a long time".
"What we've done over the last few weeks is something to be very proud of.
"No other side's ever come here and won 5-0, hats off to the guys, the performances have been outstanding." ? NZPA
New Zealand cricket captain Stephen Fleming, carried a heavy dose of realism and some rose tinted glasses to Christchurch yesterday as his team enter a home test series at their longest odds in a decade.
Not since the hapless centenary season against the West Indies and South Africa in 1994-95 have
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