Warne rates Fleming as top captain

From STUFF, 12 September 2002

Shane Warne has handed out a bouquet ahead of New Zealand's match against Australia at the Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka on Sunday by nominating Stephen Fleming as the best current captain in world cricket.

Warne felt Fleming's allround tactical nous and batsmanship elevated him ahead of the likes of legendary Australian test captain Steve Waugh and the world champions' current one-day skipper Ricky Ponting. "I just think he has a wonderful cricketing brain, he's a wonderful captain.

"Talking to him about cricket I think he's on the right track and I think the tactics he comes out with against our batsmen are very good," Warne said.

New Zealand's test and one-day series here last summer underlined his claims. Fleming's inspired captaincy helped ensure New Zealand drew the three-match test series 0-0, and they went on to win three of the four one-dayers against Australia in the Tri-Series involving South Africa.

"Some of the things New Zealand came out with last summer were very, very good. They saw me and (Glenn) McGrath off and worked on the other blokes."

Fleming's meticulous field placements also shut down the Australian top order, particularly in the one-dayers where wickets tumbled early.

Australia's failure to make the Tri-Series final was the catalyst for Waugh to be stripped of the one-day captaincy and dropped from the squad.

"I think Steve is a wonderful captain and Ricky is doing an excellent job in one-day cricket but Fleming is excellent, he is probably the best in the world," Warne said.