Daniel Vettori doesn’t have a lot to smile about yesterday, but hopeful to start anew with the two Twenty20s against Sri Lanka after the defeats in the Test matches. Though New Zealand were didn’t play at their best in both Tests, there is still abundance of limited-overs cricket for them before returning home the two Twenty20s preceding the tri-series, also featuring India, with the Champions Trophy in South Africa to follow.

This New Zealand side is superior suited to one-day cricket, having won six and drawn one of their last eight series, including wins over England and West Indies. However, they have struggle in one-dayers in Sri Lanka, winning ten of 27 games. Vettori is confident of improving that record. I’d say we’ve been stronger in the limited-overs cricket. The experience out here will strengthen a few of the players for the limited-overs series. There’s no hesitation this is a group of batsmen and I have high hopes of them.

New Zealand have some recruits changes, such as fast bowlers Kyle Mills, Shane Bond and Ian Butler and relative rookies Brendon Diamanti and Neil Broom, but the core group stays the same. And I expect we’ll see a rotate in our limited-overs performance. We require winning these games as we build up to the Champions Trophy. It’s a short and spiky competition and you need to hit it running.

New Zealand will welcome back Bond, who, Vettori established, will mark his international return in Wednesday’s first T20. Bond’s leaving to the ICL in 2008 was vital as when Richard Hadlee stepped down in 1990, and while Vettori was quick to allow Bond some gasp room, he know how important he is.

Vettori said that I don’t want to put a great deal pressure on the guy because I can see it building from a distance. People are viewing him as a sort of saviour to some recent woes but I feel we need to let Shane relax and build his way to return into the team. Bond will be a very important player for New Zealand in the 50-over games.

New Zealand cricket fans have accepted, if unwillingly, that their team can badly compete in one-day and Twent20 cricket, because from the depths of No. 7 in the ICC Test rankings there’s not much room for hopefulness. Though his instant aim was to gee this team up for the limited-overs fixtures, Vettori obviously had an eye on the home Tests against Pakistan in November. The two Tests in Sri Lanka were a methodical disappointment and Vettori, when he sits down with the selection board on returning, will have his plate full. New Zealand does not have a reservoir of second-tier players presenting a believable case for selection and Vettori wanted to stick with these players ahead of Pakistan’s visit. Our guys have faced some unconventional bowlers that they don’t get back home, so for them to face that kind of bowling and to be successful, at times, is a very good experience.