Confident New Zealand look to booking berth in final
Rex Clementine - 24 July 2001
The New Zealanders are back in the nets preparing for their first
match of the second round of the Coca Cola Cup against Sri Lanka at
the Premadasa Stadium which will be played on Wednesday.
The Black Caps beat India convincingly in their first round match of
the Coca Cola Cup while in the match against the host nation, they
went down after a gallant fight.
After the matches in Dambulla were shifted to Colombo, the team
management decided for a two day outing in Kandy. "Well, the only
reason to go out of Colombo was because we didn't want to spend three
and half weeks in the same hotel in Colombo. That was to give the guys
a different atmosphere. But I tell you we haven't neglected any
practice opportunities" said Jeff Crowe, the manager of the New
Zealand team.
"We fitted in the essentials of our programme during our stay in
Kandy. For example we did our gym sessions over there and the players
are looking forward."
Reflecting on the two matches the Black Caps have played, the New
Zealand manager said; "We would have liked to win both the games
obviously. But we played better cricket in the second game. In the
first game we were bit rusty, but I still feel we had chance to win
that game as well. But more importantly, we checked our mistakes on
the second game and we are improving" said Crowe who has been the
manager of the side for close to two years.
"Even in the game against India, our batsmen struggled. But we've
addressed that issue and we have to see that we won't repeat the
mistakes in the matches ahead," said the former New Zealand captain.
Talking about the second round matches of the tournament, Crowe said;
"We are looking forward for both the games and want to do well to
book a place in the final," Crowe continued, "The prime importance
will be to beat Sri Lanka. We've lost the first match against them,
then they defeated us at home few months back. If we can put
everything that we've been practicing, that's it."
In the one day game, the New Zealanders cornered the headlines when
they won the ICC knockout tournament in Kenya last year, but all the
good work was spoilt after the side lost two successive series to Sri
Lanka and South Africa soon after.
"I think we are capable of winning the Coca-Cola Cup. We have shown
in the past that we've got the nucleus to win tournaments. We proved
that in the ICC knockout tournament" reflected Crowe. "But this is
not a knock-out tournament. Here you've got to be consistent and when
it comes to the final it's the team that's good on that day."
However, a key player missing in the side is Chris Cairns who was
instrumental in leading the side for victory during the ICC knockout
tournament, "He's a world class player. No doubt about it.
Unfortunately he's not here so you can't worry about that."
The Black Caps' chances of going through to the final increased after
India fell to bottom of the points table with a poor run rate as well.
No one can take them lightly and they are capable of doing what they
accomplished in Kenya last year.
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