KEY POINTS:
Daniel Vettori is quietly optimistic he will be fit, and more bullish that Jacob Oram will be ready for the start of the ODI series against England in Wellington today.
The pair were sorely missed as New Zealand capitulated tamely in the second Twenty20 bash in Christchurch on
Thursday.
Vettori damaged an ankle eight days ago; Oram twinged a hamstring in Tuesday's match but should be ready to take a full part in a game which has assumed greater importance after this week's events.
Final decisions will be made this morning, after a last fitness check but New Zealand will be conscious of the need to apply a foot trip to England's early momentum. Listen to England captain Paul Collingwood's assessment of the state of things and it's clear there is a good vibe running through his squad.
"There's so many positives from the last two games that we can take into the one-day series," he said. "The boys are in confident mood. They are really getting to know their roles in the side which is important and hopefully we've dented their confidence."
England's Twenty20 record was poor when they arrived in New Zealand. They have won their last two ODI series at home to India and away to Sri Lanka. Collingwood's early concern was the shorter game, not the one-day series. No wonder he's buoyant.
New Zealand need to puncture English tyres at the Westpac Stadium today. Whether they are good enough is another story.
The day someone starts calling a couple of Twenty20 losses a crisis will be time to take up marbles. Still, winning beats losing any day and Vettori is acutely aware that England have delivered the early aces.
"We're pretty hurt about losing those two games, but we know if we get a win and carry that on to winning the one-day series then we're in a pretty good space," Vettori said last night.
He will tell his players some hard truths before today's game; that this week has been well short of acceptable.
It is all very well pointing to the inexperience in the side. That happens, but it is still reasonable to expect bowlers to find and stick to the right line and length, which they palpably failed to do in both Twenty20 games.
The batting order is likely to remain much as it is, with Jesse Ryder to stay at the top of the innings with Brendon McCullum.
Vettori likes what Ryder can offer, and his two efforts, albeit brief, have hinted at something better. But the captain is refreshingly forthright on how to make the batting order work. He knows some batsmen would prefer to be in different positions, but all need to make the best of it.
"You've got to make people fit," he said. "Look at the way the Aussies do it. They don't worry about batting positions, they just make sure the guys do their job."
"You can't get caught up in a number, you need expectations of people to score runs."
England's bowling has been highly impressive, notably left armer Ryan Sidebottom, who took five for 35 off 7.2 Twenty20 overs and has spearheaded a group of aggressive seamers who are hitting the pitch hard, giving little away, and are backed by enthusiastic fielding.
The team which won the series in Sri Lanka comprised nine of the Twenty20 winners, plus opener Alastair Cook and allrounder Ravi Bopara instead of Luke Wright and Eden Park man of the match Dimitri Mascarenhas. They both played notable hands this week. Collingwood talked of tough decisions ahead; bet on Cook replacing Wright, Mascarenhas deservedly holding his spot.
New Zealand's options are more limited, but their need for victory is greater.
NEW ZEALAND V ENGLAND
* Westpac Stadium, Wellington, 2.30pm today.
* New Zealand (from): Daniel Vettori (c), Brendon McCullum, Jesse Ryder, Jamie How, Ross Taylor, Peter Fulton, Scott Styris, Jacob Oram, Paul Hitchcock, Kyle Mills, Michael Mason, Jeetan Patel, Chris Martin.
* England (from): Paul Collingwood (c), Alastair Cook, Phil Mustard, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Owais Shah, Ravi Bopara, Luke Wright, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell, Ryan Sidebottom, Stuart Broad, Tim Ambrose, Chris Tremlett, James Anderson.
