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Vettori puts his spin on Twenty20

Orthodox slow left-armer Vettori is an integral member of the Black Caps’ bowling attack in all forms of the game.

And for all the talk that spin in Twenty20, with its emphasis on boundary hitting, would be a liability, the evidence from tournaments around the world, including the Indian Premier League (IPL), suggests slow bowlers still have an important role in cricket’s shortest format.

“In Twenty20, you are not going to second-guess yourself,” Vettori told reporters at a captains’ press conference at Lord’s here on Sunday.

“The batsman is going to attack you, most spin bowlers realise that, and if they attack too much you create chances and you find even part-time spinners in the IPL being highly successful.”

And to those who thought Vettori was merely sticking up for his own ‘tribe’, his words were backed up by India’s Mahendra Singh Dhoni, captain of the defending World Twenty20 champions.

“The organisers want really exciting cricket,” wicket-keeper/batsman Dhoni said. “I think there will be flat tracks (pitches) and spinners will play an important role.”

The amount of cricket being played by the world’s best players remains a source of concern for many observers, who fear increasingly congested fixture schedules could devalue the worth of international fixtures.

Players from India, cricket’s economic powerhourse, are often said to be most at risk from seeing their performances slip as a result of playing too many matches.

But Dhoni, who in common with many of those taking part at the World Twenty20 has just finished a lucrative stint in the IPL, said there was no danger of India, who beat Pakistan in a thrilling World Twenty20 final two years ago in Johannesburg, losing their edge

“When you are playing for your country the motivation level is high,” he said. “It’s a cruel game, the moment you relax, that’s the biggest mistake.”