Vettori wants to be a better Test bowler

AHMEDABAD - New Zealand cricket captain Daniel Vettori will become the second player after Stephen Fleming to play 100 Tests for his country when he takes the field in the first Test against India here Thursday.

On paper, the left-arm spinner has already played 100 Tests as he had turned out for the Word XI against Australia in 2005.

Vettori Wednesday said the road till here has been satisfying and he is proud of the achievement, though he would like to bowl better in the longer version of the game.

“It is a great honour for me and something I would really cherish all my life. It has been an amazing journey. For anyone to have such longevity is a great achievement. The fact that I have played well most all the time and that it is not just a number, gives me great satisfaction,” Vettori told mediapersons ahead of the first Test in Ahmedabad.

The 31-year-old said he is happy that he has done well in the one-day format with both bat and ball, but bowling in Test cricket is something he would like to improve on.

“My batting in both forms of the game has come on, as has my one-day bowling. But Test match bowling is something I want to get better at. There are a number of goals that I want to achieve and that is primary among them. At times, I have been a successful Test bowler, but that is a part of my game I want to improve,” he said.

Vettori is nearing another achievement. He needs 38 runs to become only the third all-rounder in Test history to score 4,000 runs and bag 300 test wickets, behind Kapil Dev and Ian Botham.

He currently has 325 scalps to his name and getting to 400 wickets and scoring 4,000 runs is somethig that he aspires to achieve.

“I have worked on my skills. I want to cross the milestone, that is not too far away,” Vettori said.

The captain is also eyeing to break Richard Hadlee’s haul of 431 wickets and become the highest wicket-taker in Tests for New Zealand.

“If I do get there, I would still see Sir Richard Hadlee as our greatest bowler ever. His record is amazing. Mine will be a career of longevity, while his was one of absolute skill. He is one of the greatest bowlers of all time,” he said.