BLACKCAPS tournament effort showed character NZC

New Zealand Cricket has paid tribute to the fighting character of the injury-hit BLACKCAPS team at the ICC Champions Trophy tournament in South Africa.

After the side went down to Australia in today’s final, NZC Chief Executive Justin Vaughan said the BLACKCAPS could be proud of their record at the event.

“Of course the team is disappointed to have lost the final,” said Vaughan. “But the Australian side has set the benchmark and played exceptionally well throughout the tournament.

“The BLACKCAPS showed a lot of grit and fought hard. New Zealanders can be proud that their side has performed well during this competition – beating three top-ranked sides in must-win matches and making it to the final.

“Having been hit so hard by injuries during the tournament, the team has battled against the odds and shown great character.

“The side has been magnificently led by Daniel Vettori, and it was especially disappointing for him that he was unable to captain the side in the final.”

During the competition the BLACKCAPS lost Jacob Oram, Jesse Ryder and Daryl Tuffey to injury, while Vettori missed the final with a hamstring injury.

Overall the BLACKCAPS finished with a record of three wins and two losses. In group play the team had a first-up loss to South Africa by five wickets, then came back with victories over Sri Lanka, by 38 runs, and England by four wickets. In the semi-final the BLACKCAPS beat Pakistan by five wickets.

The tournament saw a number of strong individual performances from the BLACKCAPS. Ross Taylor finished with the highest number of catches, taking a total of nine.

Grant Elliott recorded the tournament’s best overall bowling average, at 12.25, and fourth best strike rate of 18.0. Elliott and Ian Butler both featured in the top five bowling performances – Elliott third with his four for 31 against England, Butler fifth with four for 44 against Pakistan.

Kyle Mills was the third-highest wicket-taker with nine wickets, while Vettori’s seven wickets earned him sixth ranking.

Brendon McCullum’s six sixes placed him fourth on the list of six-hitters, while Martin Guptill was sixth-highest run scorer, with 191.

A number of the BLACKCAPS now travel to India to compete in the Champions League Twenty20 competition, including McCullum, Butler, Neil Broom and Aaron Redmond with the Otago Volts.

The side reassembles later in October, before travelling to the United Arab Emirates for the limited-overs series against Pakistan, beginning at Abu Dhabi on 3 November.