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Beige with attitude call for opener

The Beige Caps may be resurrected for a second time for tomorrow's Twenty20 cricket international with the West Indies, but the teams do not expect a New Zealand performance similar to the first.

The Beige Caps may be resurrected for a second time for tomorrow's Twenty20 cricket international with the West Indies, but the teams do not expect a New Zealand performance similar to the first.

With 1980s beige uniforms, afros and facial hair, New Zealand turned last year's inaugural Twenty20 international into a festival, but the walloping they got from a focused Australian team set the pattern for an unsuccessful home test and one-day series.

The beige is set to return for tomorrow's match against the West Indies but neither the visitors nor New Zealand expect anything other than a highly competitive match.

"We obviously wanted to win last year but we probably took a little festive attitude towards it," New Zealand vice-captain Daniel Vettori said yesterday.

"I think this time around we want to start the series well and get away with a win."

West Indies seamer Ian Bradshaw, who said his team would not take the retro path and return to wearing pink, expected a serious contest.

"No matter what they wear I'm sure they'll come out to have a good game," Bradshaw said.

"It's Chris Cairns's last game, it's going to be a big event I'm sure, and we're just hoping to get a good solid start on tour."

Some have questioned whether a Twenty20 match should be saved for the end of the tour, which includes five one-day internationals and three tests, but New Zealand spinner Jeetan Patel was happy the popular format was being used for the first tour match.

"It's a good chance to build the crowds up for the rest of the series," Patel said.

"It's probably a good idea to get it out of the way early and that way it's not a burden at the end of the tour."

The match will be New Zealand's third Twenty20 international, having followed last year's defeat against Australia with victory over South Africa.

AdvertisementAdvertisementVictory in the latter match was achieved partly due to a spell of three for 20 from Patel.

Vettori did not play that day and Patel was yesterday hoping the selectors would select two spinners for tomorrow's match.

"My fingers are crossed because I don't think I'll be the No. 1 spinner," said Patel, who also starred in his sole outing against Sri Lanka last month in guiding the Blacks Caps to victory in Wellington. Vettori said spinners had been quite successful in Twenty20 cricket in England, but said the shape of Eden Park might stop the New Zealand selectors from playing two spinners.

"I think the short boundaries scare us at times," Vettori said.

"I think there's a chance we'll play two spinners but we'll just wait and see."

With the West Indies playing their first Twenty20 international, New Zealand will be favourite, as it will be for much of the summer, but Vettori is not writing off the Windies.

"Most teams find a little bit of time to adapt to the conditions – and we saw that from Sri Lanka and how well they've pushed on from that," he said.

"With the West Indies not playing much one-day cricket and us in the middle of our season, I suppose early on we think we are the team to beat, but in saying that if they find their feet they're a very good side as well.

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