— Photo: AFP

LOFTY INTENTIONS: Lou Vincent played a steady innings to put New Zealand on the path to victory over England.

PERTH: New Zealand won a messy, error-strewn ninth One-Day International tri-series game in which both sides felt the pressure to qualify so deeply it made them too nervous to concentrate for more than a few minutes at a time.

Perhaps there was something in the WACA ground that encouraged mistakes, for the umpires were as bad as the players. Eventually, the Kiwis shuffled over the line, with much less power and style than the rugby stars from their nation usually display, by 58 runs.

Undignified match

It was an undignified match even by one-day standards. James Franklin tipped an easy catch over the ropes for six and Peter Fulton diverted a skier on to his head.

The dismissal of Andrew Strauss, dropped to No. 4 in the hope he would rediscover form, was an example of the way England has been made to look foolish on this tour.

He decided to attack Daniel Vettori, who saw him coming and tossed a faster ball down the leg-side. As he stumbled to fend off the danger Strauss allowed the ball to go between his legs and turned to find Brendon McCullum taking off the bails.

We must begin to see Vettori for what he is: a clever, slow left-arm bowler of a type rarely seen any more.

He has never been accused of throwing, or throwing tantrums, or boasted about his series of new deliveries and his method — variations based on slow looped spin — is the same as that bowled by all the greats from Wilfred Rhodes to Bishan Singh Bedi.

Not that New Zealand played a perfect brand of cricket.

Vincent stands firm

The total, 318, its highest against England, with a steadying 76 from Lou Vincent, 71 off 81 balls by Ross Taylor and another explosive bout of hitting by Jacob Oram, who made 54 off 33 balls with four sixes. England's miserable attack helped with 23 extra balls and Chris Tremlett, 6ft 8in of indifference, went for 72 runs in 10 overs.

When Glenn McGrath goes for seven an over he can be forgiven; when a young bowler is unable to stop a flood of runs you have to wonder whether he is fit for an international arena.

Motley crew

At least Monty Panesar showed how to bowl, with an economy rate of 3.5 an over, but it is being said that among the England team half don't want to be here and the rest should never have been invited here.

Andrew Flintoff could be seen with his head in his hands. Rarely have a man's brave dreams been so cruelly shattered but rarely has a captain of any ship been given such a crew. Apart from Ed Joyce, who improves daily, England batted as it had bowled; without conviction. Joyce is beginning to look as if he might succeed where Vikram Solanki — of Worcester via the Golden Triangle — Owais Shah and the briefly burning firework Mal Loye have failed and this 66 was a much better innings than his 47 in Adelaide.

This result makes it difficult for England to qualify for the finals, makes all the protestations of support for coach Duncan Fletcher seem ridiculous and questions the injuries which have kept James Anderson and Jon Lewis on the sidelines. Team spokesmen say they could have played this match; why didn't they?

The worst feeling of all is that England is not putting up an effort that reflects its ability. It was easy to mock the eighth-wicket stand by Paul Nixon and Liam Plunkett as they put on 76, but if their pals had batted with as much bravado England would not have been laughed at as they were on Tuesday night.

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