AUCKLAND: Stephen Fleming, who stepped down as one-day captain after New Zealand's semi-final defeat in the World Cup, is now aiming at consistent form with the bat.
"By declaring the one-day captaincy, I've put all my eggs in the one basket because I just want to test myself to see how good I can be without the pressure of captaincy," Fleming told New Zealand Press Association.
Fleming now wants to compete for a place in the one-day side as a specialist batsman while still continuing as captain of the Test side. But he confesses that he is not in a position to write his own script regarding his one-day career. "I certainly believe there's more runs for me to come," he said. "I just have to prove myself." Set to join Nottinghamshire in the English county circuit in another two weeks, Fleming said he had got things to work on. "I felt my batting at the World Cup was pretty close to as good as I can be. I'm not sure I got the rub of the green throughout the tournament, but that's cricket."
On being asked who he thought would succeed him as one-day captain, Fleming felt that Daniel Vettori, the current vice-captain, was a fine leader though there were others in the side too who could lead well. "I'm confident that leadership is not going to be an issue in both forms of the game going forward," he added.
Fleming also batted for coach John Bracewell whose contract expires in August. "I think what he has done in the past few years has been very good, especially in past 12 to 18 months. It's only my opinion and I've read a lot of opinions to the contrary, so it's going to be an interesting time for New Zealand cricket." Martin Crowe, the former New Zealand captain, recently called for Bracewell's resignation.—Agency