BIRMINGHAM, June 17: New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori has called on his squad’s senior players to help his side salvage something from a tour of England which threatens to end without an international victory.

Sunday’s 114-run thrashing in the first One-day International at the Riverside came hot on the heels of Friday’s equally lopsided nine-wicket reverse in a Twenty20 International at Old Trafford.

Earlier this month England sealed a 2-0 Test series win over New Zealand with a crushing innings and nine run victory at Trent Bridge.

Nevertheless World Cup semi-finalists New Zealand went into the one-day series, which continues here at Edgbaston on Wednesday, with high hopes.

But left-arm spinner Vettori, himself the most experienced player in the squad, believes the senior men, who include all-rounder Scott Styris, pace bowler Kyle Mills and wicket-keeper/batsman Brendon McCullum, must raise their game if further humbling defeats are to be avoided.

“This isn’t going to become a nightmare. It’s not the junior guys’ responsibility to stand up and give performances,” he said. “It’s the guys who have played more than 50 one-dayers — it’s their responsibility to win games for the team, but at the moment none of us are doing that.”—AFP