Cricket: Tough choices loom in World Cup build-up

Daniel Vettori is predicting some positional dilemmas looming within the squad this summer. Picture / Reuters

Daniel Vettori can foresee many agonising meetings ahead for the New Zealand cricket selectors.

The Black Caps' vice-captain and tour selector said you wouldn't need a crystal ball to predict some of the positional dilemmas looming within the squad this summer, and more particularly in the lead-up to the 2007 World Cup.

Should all contenders be fit and available, a long shot he admits, New Zealand would be heading for an unprecedented period of selection pressure, where players good enough to be chosen for rival teams were unable to even make the cut at home.

Vettori yesterday played down his role as a tour selector.

"I just sit there, let Johnny [coach Bracewell] and Flem [Stephen Fleming] talk and agree with both of them," he said.

But he believes pressure on positions would be undoubtedly increasing as the World Cup draws closer.

He pointed to the depth of quality all-rounders, the increasing competition between the pace bowlers and the top-order batting dilemmas as examples of the problems looming for the selectors.

"We've seldom had those sorts of luxuries in the New Zealand team previously," said Vettori.

"But we know now that when everyone's fit there's going to be some tough decisions over team selection.

"Obviously there was one made before the team departed in terms of Cairnsy [Chris Cairns], and I can see that ruthless policy continuing rather than easing up.

"We're going to have some very good players sitting on the sideline, which is going to be hard for them.

"On the other hand, it's probably indicative of a good team."

The left-arm spinner said another example of New Zealand's strength was noticeable in South Africa, where the tourists were finding the extra attention and publicity a welcome change from previous tours.

New Zealand had slipped to No 5 on the one-day rankings before the start of last night's second ODI, but Vettori said the emphatic series win against South Africa at home two summers ago had left an impression.

"I think they've got a huge amount of respect for us now, whereas in the past that wasn't always evident," he said.

"They'd got used to beating us regularly and there was probably a time when they almost expected to win whenever they played us.

"But this time around things are a bit different and they've been talking up the series; it really means something to them."

He said whatever happened overnight, New Zealand would want to make the most of the slower surface at Port Elizabeth where they square off against the hosts tomorrow.

"Even if we can share the double-header it'll mean we come out of the weekend with some momentum and that's pretty crucial in terms of the remaining two games," he said.

"We know it's going to be a tough series, but I also think we've got a team that can go on and win the World Cup, which means beating opponents like South Africa.

"This will be a step up for us after the previous series in New Zealand, but we're very confident in our own abilities."