Fleming rates his team highly
From Stuff, 4 April 2003
Stephen Fleming prefers to adopt a "better-late-than-never"
approach when it comes to the question of his New Zealand
cricket team fulfilling their promise.
In a cricketing world that tends towards four-year
cycles, Fleming was left desperately disappointed at
his side's premature exit from the World Cup in South
Africa, and even more determined to meet the upcoming
challenges in Sri Lanka.
Fleming, 30, is not afraid of playing ranking games
when it comes to the question of New Zealand cricket
history, and believes the present side deserve to be
placed close to the top of the pile.
He is New Zealand's most successful captain by a wide
margin. Under his leadership, the team have won 19 tests
and qualified for one out of two World Cup semifinals.
The past two seasons have harvested six test wins,
including a historic series victory over the West Indies
in the Caribbean.
"If you look at New Zealand cricket history, we've
really only had one golden period and that was in the
early and mid-1980s," Fleming said yesterday.
"In between there's been times of uncertainty and rebuilding
and whatever, but no true rival era.
"I just think that, with everything that's gone on
recently, and considering the group of core players
we have now, this has got to be one of the times when
we really make our mark."
Fleming had hoped his team would do precisely that
at the World Cup, but said they could still realise
their potential in the coming year, given the difficulties
of the tour to Sri Lanka and the later visit to India.
"People do see this team as a side with ability and
the results have backed up those observations. It's
just the consistency that has been missing, and that's
something we've got to address.
"The World Cup's gone but hopefully during the next
four-year cycle we'll see that consistency come into
our game, because we've got a group of players who've
been together for a while now."
As if Sri Lanka were not a big enough challenge, Fleming's
side will also be lacking some of their most experienced
players, and have a major question mark over their ability
to counter spin bowling.
The absence of Chris Cairns, Nathan Astle and Craig
McMillan has meant a test call-up for Wellington batsman
Richard Jones and recalls for Matt Horne, Ian Butler
and offspinner Paul Wiseman.
"Changes like that are the nature of the beast, but
I'm pleased for Richard Jones," Fleming said.
"It's good that he's performed consistently well over
a long period of time and now has some good figures
behind his name.
"There's been a lot of debate over Paul Wiseman, in
terms of how he's been used and what he's done to get
back, but I'd just like to say that I do rate him and
think he's a very good offspinner."
As for the tour to Sri Lanka, comprising two tests
and at least six one-day internationals, Fleming said
he doubted there was a tougher challenge in world cricket.
Apart from winning two tests on the inaugural tour
there in 1983-84, New Zealand have struggled in the
sweltering humidity and on spin-friendly pitches, adding
just one win from the six tests played since.
That was in 1998 at Colombo when Fleming scored 174
not out and McMillan 142 to share a record stand of
240 for the fourth wicket before Wiseman bowled New
Zealand to glory by taking figures of five for 82.
"It's one of the toughest tasks in world cricket, if
not the toughest," Fleming said.
"We've traditionally struggled in Sri Lanka because
of the way they play their game, bringing four or five
spinners into play on pitches which tend to be slow
and low.
"We'll have to get up to speed very quickly."
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