May 05 Sunday 2002
New Zealand cricket needs to increase depth, says coach

LAHORE: New Zealand cricket team coach Denis Aberhart, rocked by a Test rout by Pakistan, said Saturday his country needs to increase the depth of its cricketing skills. "What New Zealand cricket needs is to keep trying to increase the depth for better results in the future because we are a small country and have limited resources," Aberhart said.

New Zealand crashed to an innings and 324 runs defeat in the first Test against Pakistan which ended Friday, the worst in their Test history. "The defeat was really disappointing after we had finished our series against Australia last year and in the home series against England but ours is a young side and we are in the process of increasing the depth," said 49-year-old Aberhart, a former school principal who took over as coach in September last year.

Aberhart could have been better off had New Zealand's tour of Pakistan, originally planned for September-October last year, not been postponed after the September 11 terror attacks on the United States. The delayed tour saw New Zealand missing ace all-rounders Chris Cairns and Dion Nash and fast-rising paceman Shane Bond due to injury problems.

The tourists also lost opener Nathan Astle after the first one-day match in Pakistan tour, when he injured a ligament in his knee and returned home. "Injury to key players was a blow but we were outplayed in the one-day series and in the Lahore Test by a better side," Aberhart admitted.

He said he would try his best to regroup his side for the final Test in Karachi starting on May 8. "I think this side is capable of doing better and I hope they will pick up the pieces and regroup to end the tour on a high note."

Aberhart said being bundled out for a paltry 73 in the first innings was disappointing. "The pressure of Pakistan's massive score was there but getting out for 73 was very, very disappointing and that never gave us any chance to come back in the match," he said. "Pakistan has the firepower in the bowling department and Shoaib Akhtar has been bowling very good and he demolished us in the first innings."

Aberhart said Inzamam-ul Haq's innings of 329 was one of the best he has seen. "Inzamam played a superb innings and took the match away, truly one of the best innings I have seen."

Aberhart said if the Pakistan tour gives him two or three new players, it would be satisfying. "What we now look for is to find two to three new players on this tour and when the injured players come back they help us in combining a good team for the West Indies tour."