Cricket: Vettori could hold the fort for longer

It's possible Moles' successor won't be installed until after the Australians tour. Photo / Hawke's Bay Today

The odds are shortening on New Zealand captain Dan Vettori carrying on running the off-field coaching operation until the end of the home international season.

New Zealand Cricket initially wanted the replacement for axed coach Andy Moles in place before the arrival of Bangladesh at the start of next month. Now it's possible Moles' successor won't be installed until after the Australian visit from late February until the end of March.

When Moles was dumped late in October, NZC talked of starting the search from "ground zero", implying a clean sheet as distinct from a like-for-like change.

In the interim, Vettori stepped in as acting coach for the ODI and Twenty20 trip to the United Arab Emirates shortly after, and the home test series against Pakistan.

But there is no sign of the new boss being unveiled soon, leaving Vettori as captain, best player, selector and chief cook and bottle washer for the visits by Bangladesh and then Australia.

The Bangladeshis are here for a Twenty20 match in Hamilton on February 3, followed by three ODIs and a test; Australia play two Twenty20s, five ODIs and two tests, starting in Wellington on February 26.

NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan indicated that if Moles' replacement is not locked in by the time Bangladesh arrive - providing Vettori and the team are happy with the status quo - that was fine.

"We could certainly live with it, but we set ourselves the objective of that Bangladesh series [to have Moles' replacement installed]," he said. "That's the timeline we're working to. But the side has worked well without a formal coach. We don't see it as sustainable [long term] but if it was to be for one or two more weeks, it's not the end of the world."

However it may stretch into 10 weeks as NZC try to find the right person for the job, and precisely what that job description might be - head coach or something akin to team director.

On that, Vaughan, who has consistently talked in terms of a head coach as opposed to any other terminology, this week said NZC were "on track".

"I wouldn't see it [the head job] being a million miles away from the previous model, maybe with slight tinkerings," he said.

Under Vettori's stewardship, New Zealand beat Pakistan in their ODI series in Abu Dhabi, 2-1, but lost both Twenty20 internationals in Dubai when Brendon McCullum stepped in for the injured Vettori. The Pakistan test series was drawn 1-all.

Slightly clouding the waters is the need for a specialist batting coach. That job is expected to go to one of two former test lefthanders, selector Mark Greatbatch, or NZC high performance boss John Wright. That is a distinctly separate role to the head job, whatever its description, and it is expected it will be filled before Bangladesh arrive.