Cricket: Vettori's back in test picture - and he's armed with a wrong 'un

By RICHARD BOOCK

Daniel Vettori is embracing the old "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" philosophy as he eyes a return to test cricket.

New Zealand's greatest wicket-taking phenomenon since Sir Richard Hadlee is poised to end a 13-month layoff from the longer game when the tour of Australia begins next month.

He has been far from idle in the interim, and is apparently putting the finishing touches on a controversial wrong 'un - similar to the mystery ball used by Pakistan's Saqlain Mushtaq and Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan.

Although wrong 'uns are commonplace among wrist-spinners, they are a rare weapon for finger-spinners and many experts believe they cannot be delivered without an illegal snap of the elbow.

Both Saqlain and Murali have been accused of throwing, and one of the only other test finger-spinners to possess a wrong 'un, West Indian Sonny Ramadhin, was also dogged by suspicions over his action.

Vettori, who was seen experimenting with a variation of the mystery ball last summer, suggested he was obligated to develop the delivery since other top-class spinners were using it to such advantage.

"I don't think I'd be called for it," he said when asked how the delivery was progressing. "Other people are doing it and getting away with it, so I might as well.

"There's a debate over whether it should be allowed, but from my point of view, if a couple of guys can bowl it then so can everyone."

He said the new delivery was coming along nicely and had already accounted for team-mate and training partner Daryl Tuffey a few times during net-practice, "if that's anything to go by".

Vettori's most recent test was against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo last September, when his sole wicket boosted his tally to 106.

The youngest spin bowler in the world to capture 100 test wickets, he first suffered a stress fracture problem against Australia two summers ago, before aggravating the injury during his comeback match against Zimbabwe five months later.

Although he recovered sufficiently to play 10 one-day internationals last season, he was not considered fit enough for the demands of the longer game and sat out the Boxing Day test against Zimbabwe and the entire series against Pakistan.

"I wasn't ready for prolonged bowling at that stage. I knew my back was still vulnerable," Vettori said.

"In comparison, I feel far more confident now, mainly because I've been problem-free in the nets, and because I made it through the Coca-Cola Cup tournament in Sri Lanka without a twinge.

"But the long layoff's a concern and I don't even want to think about what happened the last time we had such an extended break."

Meanwhile, New Zealand Cricket confirmed yesterday that all-rounder Jacob Oram was out of contention for the tour to Australia after being diagnosed with a broken bone in his left foot.

The Central Districts' skipper will spend four weeks on crutches.