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http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricke...on-his-team-as-international-retirement-looms
All class, as we expect... very fortunate to be playing at all</H1>
JONATHAN MILLMOW
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Last updated 05:00, March 29 2015
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Daniel Vettori is fully focussed on doing a job for his team in the World Cup final, not his impending international retirement.
It has to be said that Daniel Vettori is reluctant to do this interview.
Not because he is being difficult or unhelpful, quite the opposite in fact.
His concern is that the focus should be on the team and not him in the lead-up to the World Cup final.
Vettori is putting the cue in the rack after 18 years of international cricket but in stark contrast to Michael Clarke, who announced his retirement on the eve of the final, he wants as little fuss as possible.
It shapes as an emotional occasion for Vettori, but the 36-year-old bats it away.
"I'm just really looking forward to playing the game and having all my family there," he says. "They have all sacrificed so much for me for so long for me to play cricket so hopefully I can repay them."
Wife Mary, his parents and his brother and sister and their other halves will all be at the MCG.
"I don't know what my dad [Renzo] is going to do when there is no cricket to watch," he said. "He loves it. He never played growing up but he loves watching."
Vettori is not one for the farewell tour.
"For me it's about the game and the team. I don't want any focus on myself apart from the cricketing aspect and then, when it's appropriate, those things will happen. At this stage it's about the team.
"That is what Brendon [captain McCullum] and Mike [coach Hesson] have installed since they took over. Put everything aside and focus on the team."
If St Paul's Collegiate, the Hamilton City Council, Northern Districts or NZ Cricket want to do something special, they better be quick.
Vettori leaves for India on Thursday to coach Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League. His last hurrah is a mid-year playing commitment in the Caribbean Premier League.
He nearly didn't get to depart on his own terms - Achilles surgery in 2013 was effectively a visit to the Last Chance Saloon.
"Barely being able to walk and not being able to run was not conducive to playing good cricket," Vettori says his dry way.
"To get that sorted out, to be able to get back on the park, to be able to run and to get fit again was the catalyst to wanting to get back into the team.
"To have the support of Brendon and Mike all the way through has made it easy. I still had to get back on the park and I'm glad I have."
This is Vettori's fifth World Cup, and clearly his favourite.
Playing at home and reaching a stage of the tournament that he has never been to before would guarantee that, but Vettori adds the brand of cricket being played and the environment created by McCullum and Hesson makes an experience he will never forget.
"Looking back at other World Cups we've played decent cricket and probably scraped into quarterfinals and semifinals.
"This one there has been very good performances from different players the whole way along and that gives us a lot of confidence heading into it.
"It is not Brendon every game, it is not Kane [Williamson] every game, we take our turn and hopefully that is a sign of a good team."
Vettori doesn't necessarily agree McCullum is a transformed figure from the little rascal who used to light up our living rooms.
"He is and he isn't. It is good to see him grow from where he was, everyone always knew he had it in him but to get the opportunity and what he has done with that has been inspirational.
"You don't often get that leadership package of being tactically amazing and also being able to inspire everyone and also be able to be incredibly relaxed all the time.
"That is something the guys really gravitate towards and Mike balances that and stands out as well for being pretty calm and being meticulous as well."
Vettori will be a key player today.
He played a significant hand in the one-wicket victory in pool play and has an economy record at the MCG in keeping with his career.
He has played eight times at the MCG from 1997 to 2009, and though he only has eight wickets, his economy rate is 4.39.
He has 297 one-day wickets for NZ but isn't looking for any personal milestone.
"No. There is one goal that everyone wants."
- Sunday News
All class, as we expect... very fortunate to be playing at all</H1>
