'Bowl Good Balls Consistently'

After conquering the Sri Lankans, Daniel Vettori isready to weave his magic around the Indian bastmen.

Undaunted by the tough task -- of bowling against someof the world's best batsmen -- ahead of him, New Zealand's leading spinner sayshe is prepared to bowl long spells in India.

"I am pretty excited and looking forward togetting a lot of overs. We know how tough the situation is going to be and howhard it will be against India. But we have talked about that and we are lookingforward to getting out there," Vettori told reporters in Vizag.

The bespectacled Vettori, who made his debut as NewZealand's youngest Test player in 1996-97 at the age of 18, said he was aware ofthe strength of the Indian batting but consistency and quality bowling couldfetch him success on the tour.

"They have four of five of the best batsmen in theworld and when you lump them all in one side, it is tough opposition.

"You just have to go out and bowl good balls anddo that consistently. If we don't do that we are going to get killed,"Vettori said.

The 24-year old said the experience of bowling on SriLankan wickets during New Zealand's recent visit would help him and his team asa whole to counter the challenges on the current tour.

"In Sri Lanka, I played on wickets that turned a bit. We did well, wemanaged to win the one-day series and drew the Test series.

"We are taking a lot of heart from how we playedover there and took some knowledge of the conditions as well that hopefully wecan apply here," Vettori said.

The left-hander, who picked up 10 wickets in threeTests when Kiwis last visited India in 1999-2000, said he was aware thesub-continent tracks favoured spinners but nevertheless 'the quality of batsmen'he was up against made his task difficult.

"Conditions do help batting but just likeanywhere, if you bowl consistently and good balls, you will pick wickets.

"The pressure goes on us to bowl well but if youcan do that, you will have a successful tour.

"But it is very tough because of the quality ofthe batsmen," he said.

Known for his controlled flight, Vettori has come along way since his maiden Test appearance. His tally of 142 Test wickets at33.88 is ample testimony to his reputation as an attacking bowler while thefact that he is 60 short of a double -- 1000 runs and 100 wickets -- show he is arare spinner all-rounder.

Vettori said he was ready to shoulder the burden of theleading spinner in the side, his responsibility doubled in the absene of ShaneBond and Chris Cairns for the Test series.

"It is a little more responsibility, I am probablythe senior bowler in the team and the guy who has played here before.

"So there is a little bit of pressure on myselfand Paul Wiseman to come up with the goods, especially bowling in India, hesaid.

Discounting the possibility of having to make major adjustments to his techniqueto bowl on Indian tracks, Vettori said, "For a spinner, it is veryenjoyable coming over here because you know you are going to get wickets thatare going to help you."

A Northern Districts player in the Kiwi domesticseason, Vettori said that he was looking forward to a second meeting withIndia's legendary left-arm spinner Bishen Singh Bedi.

"I met him during my earlier visit. It's alwaysnice to talk to another left-arm spinner. There's not too many around in theworld and especially not as good as some. "It was great talking to him and get the chance toinclude a few of those tips."

Vettori acknowledged that left-arm spin hasnow become a dying breed. "Probably the advent of leg-spinners and theblossoming of Shane Warne and what he has done for the game is responsible forthat.

"There are only a few of us left but I think it'sthe influx of the leggie and the right-arm off-spinner who takes it away theother way as well that has probably taken it away from the left-armer," headded.

One hopes that this tall New Zealander would keep thetorch burning long in the years to come.

He had already suffered a stress fracture that forcedhim to miss a good amount of cricket two years ago, and Vettori said "Thisseries will test it out, given the amount of overs I will be bowling.

"Hopefully I am all over it but touchwood, itdoesn't come back.

PTI