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NZ collapse down to bad decision-making: Vettori

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori was left to rue a return of familiar bad habits as his side crashed to an embarrassing 10-wicket first test loss to Pakistan inside three days on Sunday.

By (Reuters)

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Published: Sun 9 Jan 2011, 5:19 PM

Last updated: Mon 6 Apr 2015, 6:30 PM

New Zealand, who had battled to get back into the game, collapsed from 33 without loss at tea to be bowled out for just 110 inside the final session, allowing Pakistan to score the 19 runs needed for victory before the close of play.

Brendon McCullum scored 35 of those 110 runs, 12 more than the rest of the top six combined, while bowlers Brent Arnel and Chris Martin added 14 for the final wicket.

“It’s simply decision-making,” Vettori told reporters.

“You need to make good decisions in test match cricket and there were four or five (bad decisions), which just puts too much pressure on guys coming in.

“Run-outs, rash shots, bad decisions, all that adds up to being bowled out for 110.”

New Zealand had entered the test series aware their free-scoring batsmen were not occupying the crease for long enough and Vettori said, while there had been some improvements late last year on their tour of India, they still needed to change their approach to succeed at test level. “Wrighty (coach John Wright) and myself have spoken to the team and there have been a lot of harsh words,” Vettori said. “Wrighty has stated emphatically that things have to change, you can’t keep putting those performances together.

“He wants to be part of the change and obviously I do too so it’s got to start at the base.”

While New Zealand crashed in their second innings, Vettori added their first innings score of 275 was probably not up to standard either.

“First innings, I think we were down on our score,” he said.

“I think Pakistan made a par score (367) and we just played badly in the third innings.”