Vettori maintains focus

Daniel Vettori is urging his team not to let off-field events distract them © Getty Images

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Captain Daniel Vettori insists New Zealand are focused on wrapping up the one-day series with England and will not become distracted by news of the Indian Premier League auction.

Vettori is one of four New Zealand players likely to be involved at McLean Park who will also have an interest in the outcome of the draft meeting in Mumbai, which will decide which of the eight IPL franchises they will represent.

Former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming has signed up alongside Vettori, wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum and all-rounders Jacob Oram and Scott Styris to feature in the Twenty20 tournament, which begins in April.

But with an important one-day series to win against England - the Black Caps lead 2-1 with two matches remaining - Vettori is keen for those involved to put their curiosity about the IPL to one side and concentrate on achieving a notable success over the tourists.

“We’re not allowed our phones on in the dressing room but I’m sure news will leak out, although I don’t think it will be a distraction,” said Vettori.

“That is the environment these days with all these things going on. It’s almost like other sports around the world where contract negotiations seem to play a huge part in the day-to-day game.

“This will be the team’s first experience of it, but it has to realise it and adapt to it.

“It will be the mark of a good side who can put all those dilemmas to the outside and just worry about the cricket.

Brendon McCullum will feature in the Indian Premier League

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“It’s almost like regarding the cricket as a sanctuary and doing the thing you love and let everything else take care of itself later.

“I think the team already know that. They’re looking forward to the game, but we also understand the IPL is going to be an important part of cricket in the years to come.”

Having allowed England back into the series with victory in Auckland last Friday, New Zealand are keen not to let a 2-0 lead slip and be forced to travel to Christchurch on Saturday with the series in the balance.

“Batting was obviously our strength in the first two games and the team has talked long and hard about winning the series here rather than go to a sudden death game,” added Vettori.

“That would mean that England would have all the momentum and we know in those one-off games any team can win. We’re putting all our eggs in one basket and go all out to win.”

New Zealand’s selection options centre around whether to include seamer Iain O’Brien or off-spinner Jeetan Patel in their line-up, but expect hard-hitting opener Jesse Ryder to recover from a sprained left ankle sustained at Eden Park.