New Zealand in Bangladesh 2008-09
Vettori expects nothing less than victory
Cricinfo staff
October 5, 2008
Pleased with the "nice build-up" to New Zealand's tour of Bangladesh, Daniel Vettori does not except anything less than series wins in the Tests and one-day internationals. A 3-0 sweep in the ODIs will elevate New Zealand to No. 2 in the ICC rankings, which Vettori said would be special.
Despite whitewashing Bangladesh at home during their visit to New Zealand in December-January, Vettori said away conditions provided a tougher challenge. "I think most countries who come to Bangladesh know they are in for a difficult time. Their record may not be great but they have [Mashrafe], Mortaza, Shahadat [Hossain] and Abdur Razzak and it is a nice bowling line-up in their own conditions. They are going to be a formidable opposition for us. We expect to win the series but we also know that it is going to be a tough challenge."
Bangladesh's recent results - they haven't won against an ODI against Test-playing nation since the World Cup in 2007 - does not inspire confidence but Vettori was wary of a shock defeat. "It looks like that from the results so far but if you look at the Bangladesh players from an individual level you have got some guys who have performed at the world stage," he said.
"We all know Mohammad Ashraful can play and on his day he can be a world-beater. Their reputation or their results may not be what they wanted but we still look at them individually and they are exciting. If we are not on top of our game then they can upset us. That's the thing we are trying to avoid here."
Vettori took
20 wickets in the two-Test series during New Zealand's previous visit in 2004, and expected typical subcontinental surfaces on this tour. "I think it will have plenty of runs in it and as it wears it will start to take some turn," he said. "I think we got that covered with myself and Jeetan [Patel] and guys like Scott Styris and maybe Jesse Ryder would bowl stock seamers.
"We are pretty comfortable with the conditions and it is like anywhere you turn up you have to adapt to what's going on. Bangladesh know their conditions better than anyone and it is up to us to make sure that we are on the same level as them."
New Zealand play a warm-up game on October 7 ahead of the ODI series, which starts two days later in Mirpur. The Tests begin on October 17.
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