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Jonathan Trott has described England’s batting in the Galle Test as “a sin” but struggled to pin down reasons for the slump

Andrew McGlashan in Colombo01-Apr-2012Jonathan Trott has described England’s batting during the first innings in the Galle Test as “a sin” but has struggled to pin down a reason why a batting line-up that was so prolific only a few months ago is now consistently faltering.England, who must now win in Colombo to draw the series, were bowled out for 192 in 46.4 overs to concede a crucial first-innings advantage of 125 to Sri Lanka as their batting failed for the fourth time in a row.Criticised for being too defensive at times during the series against Pakistan in the UAE, this time the strokes of some England batsmen in Galle bordered on the reckless as they continued to struggle to find a suitable tempo for batting in Asia.It has been a rapid fall from grace for a batting line-up that had become accustomed to making 500-plus regularly while the individual batsmen were gaining a reputation for the ‘daddy’ hundreds that Graham Gooch used to have cause to talk about. From the start of the 2010-11 Ashes to end of the home series against India last summer they had scored six double hundreds and another four scores in excess of 150.By comparison in 2012, Trott’s 112 in the second innings in Galle was England’s first hundred of the year. “We’ve lost a lot of wickets in clusters,” Trott said. “In the past if we’ve lost two early wickets then guys have been able to steady the ship and we’ve been able to get through sessions pretty unscathed.”But we’ve had bad sessions with the bat and getting bowled out in 40-odd overs was a bit of a sin. The wicket was pretty good and we should have capitalised. It’s no lack of effort on any par, it just hasn’t worked out for us.”Defeat meant that Trott was not able to savour his hundred – one of the finest of his career – despite him showing England that run-scoring was possible with patience and shrewd shot selection.”To get a hundred is satisfying, but to get one and win always makes it sweeter,” he said. “I was pleased by how I felt, I wasn’t all that tired at the end of the innings, I just wish I could have batted a bit more. If I’d have got 140, 150 who knows what might have happened.”And, according to Trott, there was no magic formula to his success. “I just played normally. I didn’t try going in with any pre-conceived conceptions. I had a bit of luck early on and rode it. You certainly need a bit of luck in these conditions with a lot of catchers round the bat… you need the ball to bounce in the right areas.”Trott also took a swipe at the media for, as he saw it, fuelling an unnecessary debate about Andrew Strauss’ position in the team. Strauss has averaged 25.50 since the start of the previous home season and has just two hundreds since July 2009.”When someone is not scoring as may runs as they would like or expect of themselves it is highlighted by you guys [the media]. I’m sure it will have a similar impact as it did when Alastair Cook came through his little slump. I’m surprised you guys haven’t learned from that.”Steven Finn, Strauss’ Middlesex teammate, hoping for a place in England’s attack in the second Test, was equally supportive on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Sportsweek programme.”I don’t think there’s any question that he won’t be in charge throughout the summer and beyond,” he said. “He’s a great captain, everyone here’s backing him and this is something that just hasn’t come up within the team because no one in the team believes it’s valid. Straussy will score runs and that’s that.””Straussy leads from the front. He’s an exceptional leader, he’s a levelling person. When we have our highs we don’t ride them too high and when we have our lows we don’t ride them too low. And that’s what a great captain does, I think.”

South Africa overwhelmed a brittle Sri Lanka by an innings and 81 runs at Centurion with victory sealed before tea on the third day

The Report by Andrew McGlashan17-Dec-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Sri Lanka’s batsmen followed each swiftly back to the dressing room•AFPSouth Africa overwhelmed a brittle Sri Lanka by an innings and 81 runs at Centurion with victory sealed before tea on the third day when Vernon Philander claimed his tenth wicket of the match. The home side’s bowlers needed just 39.1 overs to dismantle the opposition batting line-up for a second time to reinforce the pre-series predictions that this could be a very one-sided contest.Sri Lanka’s cricket has taken a worrying nosedive since they finished runners up at the World Cup. Even then there were rumblings of discontent and now their on-field performances are suffering. This limp second innings followed previous collapses this year against England at Cardiff (82), Australia at Galle (105) and further problems in UAE against Pakistan. There is no shame in being beaten by South Africa at Centurion – this was their 13th victory in 17 Tests at the venue – but Sri Lanka barely put up a fight. Across two innings the batting lasted 86.5 overs; less than a day’s play.Philander continued to pile up the records with match figures of 10 for 102 to make it four five-wicket hauls in six Test innings. Dale Steyn could easily have had a bagful himself with probing late swing at pace and he regularly beat the outside edge. Morne Morkel continued to be a concern with another erratic display but produced a rising delivery to remove Thilan Samaraweera which will have been a confidence booster. South Africa were also gifted Mahela Jayawardene’s wicket when he contrived to run himself out trying for a run that would have taken him to 10,000 in Test cricket. The confusion summed up Sri Lanka’s state of mind.Facing a deficit of 231 on a surface offering help to the quicks was a daunting prospect and Sri Lanka soon started to crumble. Tillakaratne Dilshan departed first against some skilful seam and swing bowling from Philander who produced a delivery that nipped back then straightened to find the edge low to Mark Boucher. At least this time he wasn’t caught at mid-on.Smart stats

South Africa improved even further on their already outstanding record in Centurion. They have now won 13 out of 17 Tests at the venue while losing just one.

Vernon Philander picked up his fourth five-wicket haul in six innings. He becomes only the fourth player, after Charlie Turner, Tom Richardson and Rodney Hogg, to pick up four or more five-fors in the first three Tests.

This is Sri Lanka’s 11th defeat by an innings in matches played since 2000 and their fourth innings defeat against South Africa in the same period. The defeat margin is also the fifth-largest for Sri Lanka in Tests since 2000.

Sri Lanka last won a Test in July 2010 when they beat India by ten wickets in Galle. Since then, they have gone 14 Tests without a single win with four losses and ten draws.

Sri Lanka were bowled out under 200 in both their innings. This is only the fifth such occurrence since 2000 and the third time against South Africa in the same period.

Boucher’s 65 is only his second half-century since his 69 in Trinidad in 2010. Since then, he has scored just 260 runs at an average of 20.00.

Boucher took six catches in an innings for the fourth time in Tests. The record is seven catches which has been achieved by four different players.

The 61-run stand between Mark Boucher and Imran Tahir is the highest last-wicket stand for South Africa against Sri Lanka. Their highest last-wicket stand overall is 107 between AB de Villiers and Morne Morkel in 2010.

Tharanga Paranavitana had a tortured stay. Steyn thought he’d pinned him lbw first ball which would have completed a split-innings hat-trick, but having persuaded Graeme Smith to use a review the replays showed the ball sliding past leg stump. The opening over was a lengthy affair as Paranavitana also needed considerable treatment for a knee injury then against Philander earned the benefit of the DRS having been given lbw to a ball that pitched outside leg.Next over, though, Paranavitana’s painful stay was ended following a working over by Steyn when he offered a limp edge to leave Sri Lanka 11 for 2. Steyn and Philander were constantly threatening with subtle movement and they would have been a handful against more confident line-ups than Sri Lanka’s. The chances of the visitors offering any prolonged resistance receded further when Kumar Sangakkara completed a poor match by giving Boucher his third catch of the innings as he was defeated by skilful seam bowling.It wasn’t as though South Africa needed a helping hand but they were gifted Jayawardene’s wicket. Although credit must go to Jacques Kallis for swift work from his follow through and a pinpoint throw at the non-striker’s end. It was a wonderfully sharp piece of fielding which so highlighted the gulf between the two teams.The procession continued after lunch when Angelo Mathews, whose presence in the series is in doubt after he picked up a groin strain, became Boucher’s fifth catch and Philander’s third wicket. It was a productive day for Boucher who began by reaching a fifty that he’ll hope will quieten speculation over his future. There was no arguing with the quality of his glovework and six catches in the innings equalled the best haul of his career.Morkel then made his first incision of a difficult match at which point Sri Lanka were threatening to fold for double figures. Thisara Perera resisted for a while until slashing Steyn to slip while Herath launched two sixes into the stands but the end arrived swiftly when Philander claimed the final two wickets. This was the sort of ruthless performance Smith called for before the game and it’s difficult to see how South Africa will be pushed in the remaining Tests.

Brad Hodge has played his last game for Victoria after announcing his retirement from domestic one-day cricket

Brydon Coverdale23-Jan-2012Brad Hodge has played his last game for Victoria after announcing his retirement from domestic one-day cricket. Hodge, 37, stepped down from the first-class arena in 2009-10 but continued to be part of Victoria’s limited-overs side and helped them win the Ryobi Cup last summer, when he was the leading run scorer in the tournament.He was also at the top of the run tally this summer when he decided to move on from one-day cricket and focus solely on his Twenty20 career. The Ryobi Cup will resume early next month after a hiatus during the Big Bash League, and Hodge departs with Victoria still in contention to make the final.”I think it’s just time to step aside and let some other guys come through,” Hodge said. “I’m obviously delighted to have played this long. I guess like anyone in the world, once you’ve done something for so long it’s hard to let go.”There’s a lot of good talent that’s there. I’ve done my job, I’ve presented a good case for players to watch and to learn how to do it and it’s been fun along the way. I don’t feel as if this is retirement because retirement for me was when I retired from four-day cricket. This is more like a changing of the guard.”Hodge leaves the one-day game having scored more runs (5597) and more hundreds (20) than any other player in Australia’s domestic limited-overs history. He has been part of three one-day title-winning sides with Victoria, having made his debut back in 1993-94 against a Queensland side featuring Allan Border and Craig McDermott.Victoria’s coach, Greg Shipperd, said Hodge had been a legend of Australian domestic cricket.”He has brought great joy to those who have witnessed the purity and skill of his batting for so many seasons,” Shipperd said. “Brad has been instrumental in a period of sustained success for the Bushrangers and has assisted mightily in the development of those around him.”Hodge continues to be a strong performer at Twenty20 level and last week was picked up for $140,000 by the Barisal Burners in the Bangladesh Premier League auction.

Jacques Rudolph has rejoined Yorkshire as an overseas player for the remainder of the 2011 season

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jul-2011Jacques Rudolph has rejoined Yorkshire as an overseas player for the remainder of the 2011 season, in a bid to help rescue his former club from relegation. He has received clearance from the ECB, and his first game of the season is likely to be the Roses match against Lancashire at Headingley, starting July 20.After joining the club as a Kolpak player in 2007, Rudolph passed 1000 first-class runs in each of his four seasons and established himself as one of the club’s most popular and prolific overseas signings. In all competitions he amassed an impressive 8629 runs.However, he was released by mutual consent at the end of the 2010 season, after he and his wife Elna admitted to having struggled to adapt to life in England. Now, however, he is back, with Yorkshire struggling to stay afloat in the first division, with only Hampshire below them in the table after nine matches.”Jacques is a hugely respected and popular player and we have missed his contribution in all forms of the game this season,” said Martyn Moxon, Yorkshire’s director of cricket. “The entire club is very pleased to welcome him back and we look forward to his runs lifting the team in the remaining matches.”

Jos Buttler smashed an unbeaten 72 from 45 balls as Somerset strengthened their chances of reaching the Friends Life t20 quarter-finals with a 15-run win over Gloucestershire at Taunton

08-Jul-2011
ScorecardJos Buttler smashed an unbeaten 72 from 45 balls as Somerset strengthened their chances of reaching the Friends Life t20 quarter-finals with a 15-run win over Gloucestershire at Taunton.A sell-out crowd saw the home side slip to 40 for three after losing the toss before Buttler, who hit three sixes and seven fours, added 57 in 7.4 overs with James Hildreth who made 34. Kieron Pollard then clubbed 31 not out to help put on a further 73 in 6.3 overs in a total of 170 for four.David Payne, who dismissed Marcus Trescothick second ball, was the pick of the Gladiators bowlers with 2 for 27. In reply, Gloucestershire were going well on 114 for two after 14 overs, Kevin O’Brien having made 34. But Hamish Marshall fell for 54 in the closing overs as the visitors collapsed to 155 for nine, with Murali Kartik taking two for 16.O’Brien and Marshall had put on 51 for the first wicket in just five overs. O’Brien hit five fours and a six in facing just 18 balls, while Marshall went on to face 44 deliveries, hitting five fours. It was spinners Kartik and Arul Suppiah, who took one for 21, who swung the game Somerset’s way, both extracting plenty of turn from the pitch.Pollard did his bit with three for 25 from his four overs, while Lewis Gregory claimed two for 35 and was responsible for three catches and a run out. Earlier, Buttler and Hildreth had been content to milk singles and twos as they launched Somerset’s recovery.But once Hildreth was caught behind off Jack Taylor, having faced 35 balls, Buttler went on the attack in devastating style. The 20-year-old has not been in the best of form this season, but that did not show as he struck the ball sweetly.Pollard would have been run out when he had made only a single had wicketkeeper Richard Coughtrie not dislodged the stumps before Hamish Marshall’s throw reached him.The big West Indian went on to strike one ball from Muttiah Muralitharan into the River Tone with a massive six over long on, to the delight of a sell-out 7,000 crowd who were able to celebrate a home success.

Former India batsman Dilip Vengsarkar will be contesting the Mumbai Cricket Association elections, to be held next month, for the post of president

ESPNcricinfo staff07-May-2011Former India batsman Dilip Vengsarkar will be contesting the Mumbai Cricket Association elections, to be held next month, for the post of president. There is likely to be a four-way contest for the post with cabinet member and central minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and possibly Maharashtra’s revenue minister Narayan Rane in the fray to challenge incumbent MCA president Sharad Pawar.”I will be contesting the election this time and I don’t want to comment anything more on this at the moment,” Vengsarkar, who is currently MCA vice-president , told the .Congress leader Deshmukh represents Mazgaon Cricket Club and is also MCA vice-president. Mazgaon CC secretary Alam Shaikh confirmed that Deshmukh would be contesting the elections. “Mr Deshmukh told us that he will be contesting for the president’s post this time,” Shaikh said. “We are confident that he will win again. Let’s see how things go.”National Congress Party (NCP) president Pawar, who is currently ICC president, has been the MCA president for the last eight years [constituting four terms], and was given an extension during the last election after the constitution was amended.Vijay Patil, president of the DY Patil Sports Academy and son of Tripura governor DY Patil, will be contesting for the post of vice-president.The MCA managing committee is scheduled to meet on May 10 to decide the election date.

Tharanga Paranavitana has had a long run at the top of Sri Lanka’s order to try and make the opening position his own. He hasn’t done it yet

Andrew Fernando04-Dec-2012As Australia ponder the output of their Test openers, Sri Lanka have an opening conundrum brewing of their own. In ODIs, Sri Lanka are so awash with talent, they routinely play four capable openers in the XI, yet in Tests there has been a dearth of men with technique and mettle to chisel out a long-term role atop the batting order.Sri Lanka’s last tour of Australia in 2007 was Marvan Atapattu’s swansong, and his long-time partner Sanath Jayasuriya played his final Test not long after. Though Tillakaratne Dilshan has advanced Jayasuriya’s legacy in the years since, Sri Lanka have not found a bona-fide successor for Atapattu, though several have been trialled.Tharanga Paranavitana has had a steady spell of opportunities since his debut in early 2009, but while he has shared Atapattu’s penchant for collecting ducks, his career has also been frustrated by middling scores and a limited range of strokes. At times he has been defensively capable, but mentally tentative – particularly susceptible outside off stump, where his powers of judgement have been found frail.Paranavitana had appeared to overcome a slow start in Test cricket when he made hundreds in back-to-back matches against India in 2010, but has not crossed triple figures in 39 innings since. Sri Lanka rightly acknowledge that their domestic competition does not produce opening batsmen who can find immediate success in Test cricket, but with 32 matches now behind him, the team may have hoped Paranavitana was further along in his development. In 2012, he has played 10 innings and made only one 50, averaging a shade below 30.Perhaps partly in the hope of spurring Paranavitana’s stagnating output, Sri Lanka have taken a spare left-hand opener to Australia. Dimuth Karunaratne got a Test debut when Dilshan sat out the first Test against New Zealand through injury, and a sparkling unbeaten half-century in the second innings of that match earned him a place in the squad to Australia a day later. Sri Lanka are unlikely to displace Paranavitana early in the series, but Karunaratne’s presence will serve as a statement to Paranavitana that he cannot subsist on the selector’s largesse for long.”Dimuth has been around for a long time and when he got his opportunity in Galle he showed his potential,” Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka’s captain, said ahead of the series. “It’s healthy for everyone to have some sort of competition in order to push ourselves to keep improving.”Jayawardene has seen both men develop at first-class level: they open together for the Sinhalese Sports Club, where Jayawardene also cut his teeth. Though Karunaratne and Paranavitana will compete for a spot in the XI in Australia, they have been earmarked as potential long-term openers when Dilshan retires from Tests. Karunaratne’s aggression has complemented Paranavitana’s more circumspect approach in their time together at SSC, and Jayawardene suggested the synergy they have established in domestic cricket may help ensure a successful partnership in years to come.”What we’re looking into developing for the future is to try and get a combination that will be there for a while. It’s very important that the two guys are comfortable and understand each other’s game, because the start makes a big difference.”I think Dimuth adjusted pretty well to international cricket. He knows his game quite well, which helps him. International cricket is always going to be a big step up for anybody. We’ve said to Dimuth that the first six months will be a honeymoon period after which the other teams will analyse you and then it will get tougher. He has got a good head to handle all that. Tharanga is another guy who I’ve played with quite a bit and who has had that same kind of commitment. We need to make sure we help them develop.”For the moment, Paranavitana’s place is the only one in any sort of contention in Sri Lanka’s top seven. Jayawardene believed Paranavitana’s inability to make his position his own despite the extended run is not down to flaws in technique.”It’s about consistency. From time to time we’ve had chats with him and the coaches have been working with him. I think he’s got the technique, but it’s the mental approach that he sometimes makes mistakes with. Technically he’s very sound, but he needs to approach certain situations differently. He needs to work hard at that.”It’s a tough position. Openers always will always have tough times. That’s not just in the Sri Lankan team, that happens in other international sides as well. You need to show authority and feel confidence about that position. That’s where everything is being set up for the rest of the batting order.”

England’s weakness against spin cost them for the third time in the series as they unravelled from a strong position to post an underwhelming total on a slow turning pitch

The Report by Abhishek Purohit23-Oct-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsVirat Kohli and Suresh Raina all but sealed the match with a 131-run stand for the fourth wicket•AFPEngland’s weakness against spin cost them for the third time in the series as they unravelled from a strong position to post an underwhelming total on a slow turning pitch in Mumbai. Their fast bowlers struck three early blows but Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina motored to a 131-run stand at close to seven an over, showcasing the difference between the sides and sparking another needless bout of words in the middle as England’s frustration overflowed.It was England’s own batsmen who had let down their ragged bowlers down when they caved in against spin in the afternoon. R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja took 5 for 79 in 20 overs between them after Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen had built on England’s quickest start of the series.Vinay Kumar broke the 73-run stand between Trott and an uncharacteristically subdued Pietersen, then Jadeja and Ashwin worked their way through a clueless England middle order, striking three times in six overs. Tim Bresnan took the score past 200 with a run-a-ball 45, but England were dismissed with 23 deliveries remaining when fast bowler Varun Aaron bowled Bresnan to finish with three wickets on debut.Disciplined pace bowling led by the impressive Steven Finn kept England in with an outside chance at the start of the chase. Kohli and Raina kept the runs coming, though, not allowing the score of 46 for 3 to tie them down in a partnership that steadily at first, and then emphatically, pushed England out of the match, making a 5-0 whitewash ever more likely.Finn and Bresnan had started with testing spells that kept the India openers quiet. The first five overs produced only 17 runs, leading Parthiv Patel to whip across the line and lose his stumps to Finn. Finn struck again in his next over when Gautam Gambhir inside-edged onto his stumps. His opening spell of 5-0-10-2 was followed by a sharp burst from debutant Stuart Meaker that induced Ajinkya Rahane into a poke outside off stump only for wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter to take a leaping one-handed blinder.Scott Borthwick, the young legspinner surprisingly chosen ahead of Grame Swann, bowled with heart, but it was unfair to expect him to have the same effect that the experienced Swann could have managed. Kohli and Raina continued almost unbothered, picking off the singles easily and finding the boundaries with crisp shots. The duo’s approach was in sharp contrast to England’s tottering line-up.Despite India being three down at the start of the bowling Powerplay, Raina took the chance and chipped Meaker just over mid-off for a boundary. His innings grew into a blur of scythes through extra cover and swings down the ground before Finn bowled him after a missed slog during a heated over. Raina had surged to 80 by then and with Kohli easing into elegant drives and cuts, India were runaway winners with almost ten overs remaining.England’s fate had virtually been sealed when their middle order tried to sweep and slog-sweep their way out of trouble. Pietersen was one of three batsmen to fall on the shots, though the substitute fielder Manoj Tiwary was responsible for sending him back with a diving catch after running across from deep midwicket.Ravi Bopara missed one from Jadeja to be caught in front and Jonny Bairstow’s disappointing series continued when he was bowled by a ripper that pitched on leg and turned to hit off stump. Samit Patel and Bresnan tried to salvage something from 145 for 6 but Patel slog-swept Ashwin straight to deep midwicket in another disappointing batting Powerplay for England.Aaron, who had consistently hovered above 140kph on debut, came back to run through the lower order, hitting the stumps three times, the last of which straightened past Bresnan’s outside edge to clip the top of off, with England well short of a challenging total on a turning pitch without Swann.Things hadn’t looked as gloomy for England when Pietersen and Trott accumulated solidly in a steady partnership that helped them recover after Alastair Cook and Kieswetter departed off successive deliveries. Though Pietersen went hard at deliveries and mistimed his strokes at times, Trott kept the runs flowing, cutting Jadeja three times to the deep point boundary. Trott welcomed Vinay’s second spell with a cracking drive that beat the cover sweeper easily but was dismissed two deliveries later. Pietersen continued to find the field and the India spinners soon got on top decisively, yet again.

Barcelona have no intention of executing the option to buy clause in Adama Traore’s contract loan contract from Wolves.

What’s the word?

That is according to the latest report from the ever-reliable Fabrizio Romano, who has claimed that the Catalan-based side do not intend to pay the €30m (£25.5m) fee that was negotiated when the player signed on loan from Wolves.

Taking to Twitter, Romano stated: “The only way to keep him [at Barcelona] has always been a swap deal, with no money included in the negotiation with Wolves.

“As of today, there are chances for Adama to come back at Wolves and then leave again.”

Wolves fans left confused

The latest update from Romano will leave the Old Gold faithful confused as to how they should be feeling.

On one hand, his return to the Molineux could serve as a major boost for both the club and the player, with the Spaniard-of-Malian-descent surely out to prove Xavi wrong.

On the other hand, Lage’s side have drastically struggled to create chances this season, having created just 35 chances this season – the third worst in the league –  and Adama’s direct approach can shake up the Old Gold’s frontline once more.

Traore played around half of the season for Wolves before leaving to join Barcelona on-loan and registered an average of seven successful dribbles per 90, which to this day is still the highest metric amongst the entirety of the Premier League – with Newcastle United’s Allan Saint-Maximin’s average of 4.9 dribbles per game the nearest threat.

Raul Jimenez has certainly looked like a shadow of his former self without his partner Adama pinging crosses into the box. So if Adama was to stay, you could certainly expect a boost in creative numbers at the Molineux next season.

Though as Romano stated in his latest update, “there are chances for Adama to come back at Wolves and then leave again.”

After suffering for game time for the Blaugrana recently, Adama has been affected, with a report from Spanish outlet, Sport, claiming that the 26-year-old was “very upset after not even warming up against Mallorca.”

With Wolves’ reported desire to sign Ez Abde from Barcelona and Ousmane Dembele out of contract at the end of the season, La Masia youth product may just get a second opportunity to show Xavi exactly what he is made of in what would be a second consecutive loan spell for the forward.

In other news: Agent links: Wolves eyeing move for sensational “discovery”, Imagine him and Jimenez 

Daniel Vettori, the New Zealand captain, has asked his batsmen to play with clear minds if they are to arrest a nine-match losing streak that threatens to derail his side’s lead-up to the 2011 World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Dec-2010Daniel Vettori, the New Zealand captain, has asked his batsmen to play with clear minds if they are to arrest a nine-match losing streak that threatens to derail his side’s lead-up to the 2011 World Cup.”Each individual has to stand up and perform well,” Vettori said ahead of the first of two dead-rubber matches against India, who have won the series 3-0. “We need a couple of top-order batsmen coming good in the next two matches. What we have to do tomorrow is be clear in our minds and perform the roles we need to do.”The reasons for the three-match drubbing are relatively simple and unfortunate. We failed to post enough runs on the board by trying different things. We did not put pressure on the Indian batsmen. In this part of the world you need to go harder with the ball and make it straight.”New Zealand’s ability to put up big scores has been hampered by injuries to Jesse Ryder and Brendon McCullum, and Ross Taylor’s indifferent form throughout the tour. Vettori was confident that Taylor would come good in Bangalore, his IPL home. He also hoped that McCullum would keep wickets to give his side more balance.”Ross has been performing well and has a good record for a long time,” Vettori said. “We are hopeful that he is comfortable here in Bangalore. Obviously this is a real turning point for him in the series. McCullum’s back is still giving him a bit of trouble. It is difficult to keep wickets with a sore back. He is on for the game tomorrow morning and is progressing and getting better. I am just hoping that he keeps wickets but I am not 100% sure.”The Chinnaswamy Stadium sported bouncy tracks during IPL 2010, and assisted seamers even during the recent Test against Australia. Vettori expected some help for the bowlers during the day-night game, but chose not to finalise his team’s composition ahead of time. “It has got lot more grass on it and probably not damp but little sticky,” he said. “We need to see what the change is going to be in the next 24 hours. We would take a decision [on the team] tomorrow. I think the present lot is good enough to win the game but there may be a couple of changes here and there.”Despite the lack of success on the tour, Vettori said the side had gained from Duncan Fletcher’s involvement as a consultant. He also hinted that there was talk of bringing Mushtaq Ahmed, the former Pakistan legspinner currently working with the England team, to help their spinners. “Duncan has come in under the same set of umbrella for batting. He has a lot of ideas on bowling, fielding and batting. He has come and is trying to help the guys as much as possible.”