KEY POINTS:
Daniel Vettori probably knows better than most the secret formula for being a successful New Zealand slow bowler.
Destined to play most of his international career on seamer-friendly home pitches, Vettori has evolved into a perfect example of the future Kiwi spinner; a player who can bowl, but who can also prove just as useful with his batting and fielding.
The 27-year-old left-armer, the youngest spinner in the world to take 100 test wickets, has found it hard to maintain his early momentum, snaring just 11 wickets in his past six tests at a cost of 37 runs apiece; the best a haul of three for 92 against the West Indies.
The last time he took a five-wicket bag was against Australia at Jade Stadium nearly two years ago. Before that - if you look past his three six-wicket bags against Bangladesh - you'd have to go back to the tour of Australia in late 2001.
In keeping with that sporadic success, Vettori's average hovers just on the respectable side of 35 - but only just.
New Zealand Cricket's change to uniform pitches, usually prepared to favour either the pace bowler or the batsman but never the spinner, has impacted heavily on their star slow bowler, almost neutering him at home.
In response, he's worked on his all-round game, and is now probably as effective with the bat in marshalling New Zealand's often-productive tail as he is with the ball.
"I'd like to think my batting's been going well for a couple of years now," he said this week. "I'm just trying to continue that form and continue my development as a batter.
"Eventually, I might be able to play that full all-rounder's role if someone like Jacob Oram should be injured."
Vettori, the New Zealand vice-captain, said the days of tail-enders not taking their batting seriously had long gone, and the present team had proved what invaluable service could be gained from a collective effort.
He's now scored two test centuries and boosted his batting average to near 25.00, making him arguably the most effective No 8 in world cricket.
Vettori said new bowlers to the squad were immediately indoctrinated in New Zealand's total batting philosophy.
"Our tail prides itself on scoring runs," he said. "Brendon McCullum, James Franklin, Kyle Mills, Shane Bond; they can all play and be very effective with the bat.
"This week we've had a couple of new guys - Michael Mason and Iain O'Brien - and we've wasted no time in schooling them up on that ethos, and emphasising that the tail can score runs, and can support a major batsman."
Vettori yesterday wasn't expecting to discover a pitch that would offer him much assistance, but said he was in a confident frame of mind at the bowling crease and couldn't wait to start what would be a very short test programme.
The two tests against Sri Lanka are the only ones New Zealand will play until the end of next year.
"I'm ready to go," he said. "I got through two games for Northern Districts and felt the ball was coming out quite well; I got quite a few overs under my belt, so touch wood everything will go well.
"Test cricket for me, I think, is the pinnacle. Having just the two matches this season is disappointing but we understand the priorities heading towards the World Cup, and we'll simply try and make the most of the opportunities.
"It's not hard to get up for because it's the last we'll see of test cricket for a while."
As for the Sri Lankans, Vettori said he was wary of their threat, recognising that they were a completely different team from the one that was beaten here over the past couple of summers.
"They've been here for three consecutive seasons and we also saw them at the Champions Trophy so we're fairly familiar with them," he said.
"But having said that, they're a pretty good side.
"The last time we saw them they were just at the start of an upward turn and we beat them quite comprehensively. But that's probably not a reflection of the side they are at the moment."
Sri Lanka have only won a solitary test from 11 matches in New Zealand; the 241-run win over Ken Rutherford's side at Napier in 2005, just before Glenn Turner came in with his new broom.
But they performed well in England this year, drawing the tests and winning the ODIs, and then went home to score a two-nil win over South Africa.
"Like a lot of subcontinental teams they tend to fluctuate in performance, mostly depending on whether they're playing at home or abroad," Vettori said.
"But of all those teams Sri Lanka possibly copes better than most when away - I know they performed admirably in Australia and went really well in England as well.
"So I think they'll be gunning for an improvement on last summer's effort."
