April 11, 2007	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 22, 1428

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PROVIDENCE, April 10: New Zealand's Daniel Vettori backed spinners to have a crucial role in the remainder of the World Cup on the Caribbean's slow pitches.

Vettori took 4-23 while fellow slow bowler Jeetan Patel snagged 2-32 as the Black Caps went to the top of the Super Eights table with a comfortable 129-run win over Ireland on Monday.

“It's nice to see spinners playing an important role and it's good to see us playing two,” said Vettori who now has 12 wickets in the competition – the same number as fellow spinners, Australia's Brad Hogg and Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan.

Vettori and Patel took their wickets late in the Ireland innings as the World Cup debutants collapsed from 110-3 to 134 all out.

New Zealand, like defending champions Australia, have a maximum eight points and are virtually guaranteed a semi-final place although their remaining three Super Eights matches are against Sri Lanka, South Africa and the Australians.

“I'm not a big spinner of the ball, so I mixed up my pace today and used some drift. Hopefully I can carry this form into the big matches we've got coming up.”

New Zealand made 263-8 from their 50 overs.

“260 was always going to be tough for them, but we still managed to turn the screw,” said Vettori.—AFP