Kiwis must halt embarrassing slide in one-day cricket: Richardson

AUCKLAND - Former New Zealand cricketer Mark Richardson believes changes are needed in the Black Cap squad to halt its embarrassing slide in one-day cricket.

The New Zealand team, which was thrashed 0-5 in the five match one-day series against India, has equalled their second worst one-day run of 11 straight defeats.

They were earlier beaten 0-4 in a five-match ODI series by Bangladesh in October.

The Black Caps’ last win came in the first match of a Sri Lanka tri-series, against India, on August 10.

“The past two ODI series have been embarrassing for our team. They’ve been comprehensively beaten by Bangladesh and now an under-strength Indian outfit.

Their goodwill with the New Zealand public must be at an all-time low, but more disturbingly, they are taking from New Zealand Cricket, but giving nothing back in return for the game in this country,” Richardson wrote in an article for the New Zealand Herald.

“I hope they care and I hope all concerned care enough to make the changes required. There are no easy answers here, just hard work and intelligent decision-making,” he added.

The 39-year-old further said that key players like Jesse Ryder, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori and Ross Taylor who are crucial to the team’s success must find a way to become more consistent.

“They need to isolate the reasons for their lack of regular performance worthy of their clear potential and find the time to make the necessary changes,” Richardson said.

“McCullum and Taylor could win a World Cup final for New Zealand, but they will need to get us there first as well through regular contribution throughout the tournament,” he added. (ANI)