Wheeling away the left-armers relentlessly
ONE-DAY WORLD CUP BOWLING: Matches 32, Balls 1689, Maidens 12, Runs 1168. Wickets 36, Average 32.44, Best Bowling 4/18, Runs/Over 4.14, 4 Wkts/Inn 2, Catches 9
One of the finest left-arm spinners to emerge from New Zealand, Daniel Vettori was a useful lower middle-order batsman who could open when required. The youngest to represent New Zealand in Tests at just 18 years, he had a long and durable career. With over 4,500 runs in his 113 Tests at an average of 30 and 6 centuries, in addition to his 362 wickets at 34.36 apiece, he could definitely be considered an underrated allrounder, unsung and unheralded. This was supplemented by 2,253 runs and 305 wickets in One-day Internationals. He had accuracy as well as all the nuances of a world-class left-armer, his longevity a testimony to his class and fitness. It was his bowling that was to the fore in the World Cup, particularly in 2007 and 2015.
Vettori first appeared in the 2003 event, but was able to make a mark only for his accurate bowling, conceding less than 4 runs an over in his 7 matches. He took just two wickets in 65 overs as the Kiwis reached the super-six stage. Opening the batting in two of his three innings, he was barely able to get past single figures in each.
There was regular success with the ball for Vettori in the 2007 World Cup. After going wicketless in the victory over England, he had a good stint in the faceoff with Kenya. He took a brilliant return catch to dismiss top-scorer Ravindu Shah for 71. He deceived Jimmy Kamande with an armer and bowled him. His return was two for 45 in an easy win.
The Canadians found him difficult to decipher after New Zealand had posted 363 for five. With John Davison going on the rampage as was his wont, Vettori dismissed his partner Geoff Barnett who scored a fine 40. He edged a quicker one into the gloves of Brendon McCullum. Asish Bagai had played himself in but came too far forward, played all over the ball and was bowled. Ashif Mulla had no idea about one that struck his pad right in front. Vettori finished with three for 57 as New Zealand won all three of their Group C fixtures.
Vettori ran through the lower-order as hosts West Indies folded up for 177 in the super-eight. Denesh Ramdin holed out at point. In his next over, Dwayne Smith was bowled trying to sweep, and immediately after Daren Powell was trapped leg-before. Vettori bagged three for 39 in 9 overs, comprising a maiden, as the Kiwis continued on their winning spree.
As
Bangladesh were brushed aside, Vettori was wicketless but conceded just 34 runs
in his 10 overs. It was a facile nine-wicket win, skipper Stephen Fleming
scoring a superb hundred.
Giant-killers, and surprise super-eight qualifiers, Ireland could not stretch the New Zealanders who were on a roll. Chasing a target of 264, the Irish lost five wickets for just 125. Vettori was wicketless so far in his six overs, having conceded 21 runs. He trapped then Andrew White leg-before for a duck as he tried to sweep a straight one. In his next over, Peter Gillespie played all over one and was also plumb leg-before. He put the Irish out of their misery in the succeeding over, clean bowling Kyle McCallan and hitting Boyd Rankin on the front boot right in front, both for ducks. These were four of Vettori’s easiest wickets, having conceded 23 runs in 8.4 overs as Ireland plummeted to 134 all out.
Despite a fine century by Scott Styris, the New Zealand winning run came to an end as the Sri Lankans continued to surge forward. Having posted a modest 219 for seven, their bowling was dominated by a century stand by the stalwarts Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara. Vettori had Mahela Jayawardene caught at mid-wicket. Later, he beat Chamara Silva in the air and had him taken at long-off. Sangakkara stayed on to usher in victory by six wickets. Vettori finished with two for 35.
New Zealand were back to winning ways as South Africa were able to muster only 193 for seven. After both the openers had fallen cheaply, Vettori broke an ominous stand between Jacques Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs, having the former caught in the covers for 22. He finished with one for 50. New Zealand won by five wickets.
The Aussies were irresistible in this tournament. They thrashed the Kiwis by 215 runs in their last super-eight encounter. Vettori was wicketless, having conceded 60 runs.
Facing Sri Lanka again in the semi-final, New Zealand could not avenge their previous defeat. Vettori could only bag the wicket of opener Upul Tharanga, giving away 51 runs.
This was the most productive World Cup of Vettori’s career. He snapped up 16 wickets at 27.93 each, with a best of four for 43, though he was a bit expensive by his standards with an economy rate of 4.57. He completed his quota of 10 overs in almost every match underlining his worth to his side which performed creditably in this tournament.
Captain in 2011, Vettori missed two matches due to injury and struggled to get wickets, but was nagging with his accuracy. Kenya were trounced but Australia took the Kiwis to task. They slumped to 66 for six, and then 121 for seven when Vettori joined Nathan McCullum at the end of 29 overs. They put on 54 runs in 12.2 overs before McCullum departed for a well-complied half-century. Vettori now had to push the score along. Brett Lee had him caught behind. He had played a fine hand of 44 off 43 deliveries, having hit 5 boundaries. Off the next ball, New Zealand were dismissed for 206. Australia breezed to a seven-wicket win. Vettori opened the bowling but without success.
There was not much resistance from Zimbabwe. Vettori had his most productive outing with the ball. In his first over, he trapped his opposite number Elton Chigumbura leg-before, and two balls later had Regis Chakabva caught at slip. It was a double-wicket maiden. Zimbabwe were skittled for 162, Vettori finishing with two for 25 in his 10 overs. The Kiwi openers knocked off the runs in 33.3 overs. Vettori injured his knee while fielding against Pakistan. He had to miss the next two matches, Ross Taylor deputizing for him.
He returned for the face-off with South Africa in the quarter-final. The Proteas batting let them down and were overcome easily. Vettori opened the bowling but was wicketless, giving away 39 runs in his quota of 10 overs.
Once again Sri Lanka defeated the Kiwis in the semi-final. Vettori trapped Mahela Jayawardene for 1, this time conceding 36 runs.
Vettori had just three wickets to show for his efforts in the tournament, though he was thrifty with just 3.60 runs per over taken off him. He may well have rued his missed chances on the sub-continental tracks.
In contrast, it was a fine World Cup for Vettori on home turf in 2015. Brendon McCullum had taken over the captaincy. In the opening encounter New Zealand put it across Sri Lanka, avenging defeats in the semi-finals of the previous two World Cup tournaments. Consistent batting through the order enabled the hosts to amass 331 for six. Sri Lanka began well but lost their way. Vettori had a hand in this in more ways than one. Openers Lahiru Thirimanne and Tillakaratne Dilshan gave a fine start of 67 before the latter hit back a catch to Vettori. Another stand of 57 followed between Thirimanne and Kumar Sangakkara before the latter departed for 65. Immediately, Vettori struck a huge blow, having Jayawardene caught behind by Luke Ronchi for a duck. Sangakkara was out in the next over, and Sri Lanka were in trouble at 129 for four in 23.5 overs. Angelo Mathews fought hard, but having scored 46, top-edged a short one from Tim Southee, and Vettori at mid-on took a brilliant catch diving forward. Sri Lanka folded up for 233. Vettori bagged two for 34.
Southee and Boult struck early blows to reduce Scotland to 12 for four. Matt Machan 56 (79 balls) and Richie Berrington 50 (80 balls) put up a fine 97-run partnership in 23.3 overs. But wickets began tumbling again. It was left to Vettori to wipe out the tail. He had Rob Taylor stumped by Ronchi, got Majid Haq caught by Taylor at slip, and trapped Iain Wardlaw leg-before, snapping up three of the easiest wickets of his career. He had an analysis of 8.2-1-24-3 as the Scots tumbled for 142. There were four golden ducks in Scotland’s innings. New Zealand made heavy weather of the chase, losing seven wickets before romping home, with Vettori not out on 8.
England capsized for 123. Vettori dismissed the captain Eoin Morgan for 17, which really began the slide. He ended up with one for 19 off 7 overs. New Zealand knocked off the runs for the loss of two wickets, with McCullum setting a blistering pace, as was his wont.
The face-off between the co-hosts was a humdinger, with the Kiwis pipping the Trans-Tasman rivals by one wicket. It was a low-scoring encounter in which left-arm bowlers dominated, grabbing 14 out of the 19 wickets that fell. Shane Watson pulled Vettori to be caught at mid-wicket. He then got Steve Smith to edge into the gloves of Ronchi. These were two vital wickets. Vettori completed his quota of 10 overs, giving away 41 runs. Australia slumped to 151 all out. New Zealand seemed well on course but lost wickets in bunches, eventually pulling off a nail-biting win.
The Afghans were mystified by Vettori’s guile. He came on for the third over, and with his first delivery bowled Usman Ghani through the gate with an armer. Nawroz Mangal tried to cut Vettori but was castled. It was Vettori’s 300th wicket in One-day Internationals, the 12th bowler to achieve the feat. Mohammad Nabi edged Vettori, and Ross Taylor snapped up a fine catch at slip. Next ball, he trapped Afsar Zazai plumb in front of the stumps. Afghanistan were 59 for six. Samiullah Shenwari 54 (110 balls) and Najibullah Zadran 56 (56 balls) put up a fight and helped post 186 on the board. Vettori bagged four for 18 off his 10 overs, four of which were maidens, his best World Cup figures. This time New Zealand’s left-armers prised out nine of the ten Afghan wickets. New Zealand brought up a six-wicket win. Vettori was man-of-the-match.
In a keenly-contested match, New Zealand beat Bangladesh by three wickets. Vettori had Soumya Sarkar caught at long-on, ending a 90-run stand with Mahmudullah who scored a brilliant unbeaten century. Vettori finished with one for 42. Guptill’s hundred helped chase down a target of 289, Vettori remaining unbeaten with 16.
Guptill’s monumental unbeaten 237 dominated the quarter-final with the West Indies. But there was a magical moment from Vettori as he held a stupendous one-handed catch on the third-man boundary, leaping up in the air. “I was lucky enough to take the catch of Marlon Samuels,” he recounted. “I was at third man, and you don't expect that sort of catch, but it was a pretty crucial moment in the game because Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels had just started to take off and were obviously chasing a huge score, as Martin Guptill had got a double hundred.” Later, a quicker one from Vettori had Jonathan Carter playing on to the stumps. Vettori wrapped up the match by having the belligerent Jason Holder caught at long-off. Vettori bagged two for 58 off 6.3 overs. It was a huge win by 143 runs.
It was a tremendous semi-final that went to the penultimate delivery, with rain and the Duckworth-Lewis method coming into play. Vettori was wicketless but was there at the crease with 7 runs when man-of-the-match Grant Elliott slammed Dale Steyn for that winning six. There were 11 runs needed in the final over, and Vettori’s boundary off the third ball was a huge relief to the team’s cause.
New Zealand were in their first World Cup final. Maybe they were overawed by the occasion, being bowled out for 183. The Aussies ran away victors by seven wickets.
(Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh’s
forthcoming book ‘World Cup Odyssey’).
