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Vettori urges England to play more ODIs

30/06/2008

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori believes England must play more one-day cricket if they are to improve their stature in the shortened version of the sport.

Vettori was speaking after his side won the fifth and final one-day international against England at Lord's, sealing a 3-1 series victory and ensuring they stay at number three in the world one-day rankings.

The Black Caps' series win was their second in succession over seventh-ranked England, despite losing the last two Test match series in convincing fashion.

And Vettori claims Peter Moores' men must increase the number of one-dayers they play or they will never progress to the level of the leading nations in the world game.

He said: "Am I surprised England are seventh in the one-day table? I think in a lot of ways they are the flip side of us. They don't play as much one-day cricket.

"I was very surprised that Owais Shah had only played 40 one-day internationals. Compare that to an Indian or Pakistan player who has racked up 100 games in next to no time.

"[Playing fewer games] certainly makes it more difficult. We play a lot of one-day cricket and I am not exactly sure how much England play.

"But they have certainly got the talent to be a force in one-day cricket."