7 Dec 2010

Dan trying to put nine straight losses out his mind

8:43 am on 7 December 2010

The New Zealand cricket captain Daniel Vettori's trying not to focus on anything other than a much-needed victory in tonight's fourth one-day international against India.

With the series already lost by three games to nil and the shadow of a nine-match ODI losing streak hanging over the Black Caps, Vettori's looking no further than Bangalore.

There's still some way before the side reaches the depths plumbed by the 1994-95 team - Vettori's men are four losses short of that side's record run of 13 straight ODI defeats.

Vettori says the top order needs to spark, individuals need to fire and some decent partnerships going at the top of the order are needed - not to mention the bowling attack stepping up.

Vettori's confident but not 100 percent sure that Brendon McCullum's over his back problems enough to keep wickets in the match, which gets underway just after half past nine tonight.