Hamilton: New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori insisted that the Indian Premier League (IPL) auctions had nothing to do with his team’s humiliating 10-wicket loss against Pakistan inside three days in the first cricket Test here on Sunday.
Vettori clarified that the high-profile auction was not a distraction and that could not be attributed to the Black Caps’ dismal show.
“Obviously those things can be misconstrued. It (the IPL) is part of cricket and you have to deal with it, but if you use it as an excuse for your performance then that’s not good enough,” said Vettori.
“It shouldn’t be a motivating factor for your performance, either. It’s about Test match cricket. That’s why most of us play the game, to perform at the Test level.”
New Zealand was bundled out for a mere 110 in three hours on a placid pitch by an under-strength Pakistan attack, losing all their 10 wickets in the final session on the third day.
There could be cheers heard from the New Zealand dressing room while the auction was telecast.
Ross Taylor, who scored just 6 and 8 in two innings, was bought in the auction at the highest price for a New Zealand player (USD 1 million), while Vettori (USD 550,000) and Brendon McCullum (USD 475,000) also earned heaty amounts.
New Zealand team manager Dave Currie also said the team’s focus was purely on the Test.
PTI
