(Cricinfo) Daniel Vettori is confident New Zealand can continue to improve after easily defeated Ireland in their first warm-up match at the ICC World Twenty20. Jesse Ryder (64) starred with the bat and Nathan McCullum with the ball on a Providence Stadium pitch that proved very slow.
Ross Taylor, Shane Bond and Brendon McCullum played no part against Ireland and will be keen for a run in their second practice game against West Indies today. Vettori was pleased with the victory, which also featured a Martin Guptill half-century, but he said the West Indies match would be a better gauge of New Zealand’s form.
“We’re satisfied with the win and satisfied with some individual performances,” Vettori said. “Jesse was outstanding at top and Guptill finished it off pretty well, and Nathan McCullum was outstanding with the ball. On a wicket like that you’ve got to be inch perfect because it’s so slow.
“It’s important to improve, we’ve got Bond and McCullum to come back in and Taylor, they’re three pretty crucial players for us. Getting those guys back in the team will be important. West Indies look like a really good team and I think they’d be one of the favourites on their home grounds, so if we can perform against them then we know we’re in good shape.”
