Daniel Vettori's three-and-a-half year reign as captain of the New Zealand Test cricket team was not supposed to end this way.
With his team chasing a series-levelling win on the fifth day of the second Test against Pakistan at the Basin Reserve in Wellington today, the situation was set up for Vettori to bowl New Zealand to victory.
The hosts had 92 overs to bowl Pakistan out on a wearing pitch but they could not do it, the tourists ending on 226 for five chasing 274 and winning the two-match series 1-0.
For Vettori, 31, who will step down as captain after the upcoming one-day World Cup, this was his last Test in charge.
Figures of one for 57 from 34 overs on the final day when he had an opportunity to help win a Test for his country were not what he would have wanted, or expected, but he was the first to acknowledge Pakistan had batted superbly.
"There's always regrets, you always want to perform better, to do better, but ... I can walk away from captaincy thinking that I gave it everything, particularly with my performance," he said.
There was no chance he would change his mind on the captaincy, but he intended to play Test cricket for as long as he could.
"Test cricket is a part of the game I love. I want to play it as long as I can and there are still things I want to achieve, there's no way that I want to finish with Test cricket Asked for the highlights, Vettori simply replied "Test wins".
"The Test win against England (at Hamilton in 2008) and against Pakistan (at Dunedin) last year.
"We had the chance to win that series (against Pakistan) last year and we unfortunately got rained out in the last Test in Napier, where we probably would have been able to bring that home.
"Also, to see just a whole new group of young guys come into the team. It's a vastly different squad to what I started captaining four years ago and I think there are some really talented players there.
"If we can get the most out of (Ross) Taylor, (Jesse) Ryder and (Brendon) McCullum in the years to come and with (Martin) Guptill and (Kane) Williamson, I think there is an exciting team there.
"We still need to find fast bowlers coming in, you always want those guys who can penetrate as much a possible and if they come along it'll be great."
