Coaching crises and off-field anarchy are usually Pakistan's
domain, although New Zealand have attempted to level the
playing field with Andy Moles' untimely demise on the eve of
their three-match one-day cricket series.
Add in Brendon McCullum losing the vice-captaincy and for
once New Zealand can rival their opponents in the controversy
stakes.
Pakistan's preparations have been laced with rumours of
match-fixing, talk of a fallout between senior players and
the skipper's resignation then reinstatement.
New Zealand leave for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) tomorrow
coach-less although by no means rudderless as Daniel
Vettori's powers are all encompassing for the time being.
Captain, selector, leading allrounder and for now, acting
coach. And it seems Vettori will remain the master of all
trades for the three test series against Pakistan starting in
Dunedin on November 24.
New Zealand Cricket does not want to rush to find Moles'
replacement and is targeting the home series against
Bangladesh in February for the new man to start work.
Moles walked away from his three-year contract last Saturday,
just days after it emerged he had lost the confidence of the
team during a fluctuating tour of Sri Lanka and South Africa.
The New Zealand players will be eager to prove Moles will not
be missed by safeguarding their fourth ranking on the
International Cricket Council's (ICC) one-day international
ladder on neutral ground in Abu Dhabi from November 3.
They can barely afford a slip-up given that Pakistan are
fifth, just one point behind, meaning plenty is riding on the
outcomes at Sheikh Zayad Stadium.
Vettori can take solace from the fact his side are on a
five-match winning streak against their most enigmatic
opponents, a sequence culminating in their five-wicket
Champions Trophy semifinal victory at Johannesburg on October
3.
The manner of that Pakistani defeat briefly raised questions
about their professionalism, particularly the conduct of
captain Younis Khan, who was among the soft dismissals before
shelling an easy catch at a critical point of New Zealand's
runchase.
Younis resigned in wake of unproven allegations of match
fixing only to return last week.
Shahid Afridi had ambitions as a replacement had Younis not
returned -- and the allrounder has subsequently been forced
to deny a rift between the pair.
"Younis and I go along way back as friends, we are mature
enough to discuss and sort out any problem in an amicable
way," Afridi said.
"Rumours of discord, they surface every time Pakistan lose a
key match or tournament." Talk of discontent is par for the
course for a side who won the ICC World Twenty20 final in
June before fading badly in the latter stages of the
Champions Trophy.
"They've got a lot of issues going on but they've dealt with
in the past and they're used to it," Vettori said.
"We'll face a near full-strength side and we know they can be
a great team. In a lot of ways we resemble them with our own
inconsistencies." Both squads are missing key personnel. New
Zealand are without the injured trio of Jesse Ryder, Grant
Elliott and Daryl Tuffey, defections that have seen new cap
BJ Watling plus veteran Scott Styris and young quick bowler
Tim Southee drafted in.
Pakistan's pace attack has been weakened by the
unavailability of Mohammad Asif on legal grounds after he was
found in possession of a quantity of opium at Dubai Airport
in June last year. He is currently barred from entering the
UAE.
Pakistan can still field a threatening pace attack in Umar
Gul -- who took Twenty20's maiden five-wicket bag at New
Zealand's expense in England in June -- and fellow
right-armer Naved-ul-Hasan.
Teenage left-arm tearaway Mohammad Amer is an up-and-comer
although the pitches -- prepared by a Pakistani groundsman --
are unlikely to encourage the quicks.
"No doubt they're going to be the standard subcontinent style
wickets," Vettori said.
Shane Bond also expected lifeless surfaces tailormade for a
batting line-up headed by Younis and Mohammad Yousuf.
"Their batting is not as explosive as the Indians but they're
no less dangerous," Bond said.
"There's a little bit of inexperience in the middle order but
some good players up the top." A Twenty20 doubleheader in
neighbouring Dubai follows the one-day series.
