Vettori hails complete performance | Cricket - Hindustan Times
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Vettori hails complete performance

Reuters | ByGreg Stutchbury, Hamilton
Mar 09, 2008 02:12 PM IST

New Zealand's 189-run victory over England in the first Test was the most satisfying of Daniel Vettori's international career, feels the Kiwi captain.

New Zealand's 189-run victory over England in the first Test on Sunday was the most satisfying of Daniel Vettori's international career, the captain said.

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"I think we put in a complete performance for five days," Vettori told reporters.

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"What we did was bowled well and set up a good total in the first innings. That's the way you go about winning test cricket.

"It's something we haven't done that well and to step up and do it against a very good England team and win is probably my most satisfying test win over the long time that I have played."

Pace bowler Kyle Mills ripped the top off the England batting order, reducing them to 36 for four at lunch chasing 300 for the victory, before Martin took three wickets in the afternoon session to seal the win.

"Looking back on it, every day we won key situations. On the first day we were 190 for five and Brendon (McCullum) came out and took the momentum away," he said of the wickekeeper's 51 off 55 balls.

"Then Roscoe (Ross Taylor) and I had a big partnership. Even today we took a little bit of momentum away from England with some quick runs and the declaration.

"I think we were on top for the majority of it and we would be a very unhappy team if we weren't in this position that we are now."

We were'nt good enough: Vaughan

England's performance in the first test against New Zealand was unacceptable, captain Michael Vaughan said on Sunday.

England, chasing 300 for victory, were bowled out for 110 late in the extended afternoon session on the final day at Seddon Park as New Zealand secured a 189-run victory.

Pace bowler Kyle Mills ripped the top off the England batting order to reduce them to 36 for four at lunch before Chris Martin took three wickets in the afternoon session to seal the win.

"It's never nice when your team has performed at a level you don't expect, especially on a last day when you get to a ground with a small sniff of winning and you end up losing in such a dramatic fashion," Vaughan told reporters.

"We felt, get to 80 or 100 for one, it was achievable and we could have had a dip at the target this afternoon, but when you lose four quick wickets... (and) with the talent we have, to get bowled out for 110, is not acceptable."

"We hold our hands up and admit we haven't played a good game at all. There is a little bit of a lack of confidence in that dressing room and the performance shows."

Vaughan said the fact his side had lost the first match of a three-test series against New Zealand, after losing series at home to India and away to Sri Lanka, was a concern and he sensed the confidence of his team was beginning to dip.

"I didn't see it coming at all today, that's a slight worry, you see a positive vibe, sensing victory, got an opportunity to win the game, make sure take it.

"We just didn't give ourselves anywhere near the chance to take that opportunity."

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