NEW Zealand captain Daniel Vettori has challenged his team to go one step further in the Champions Trophy upon sealing yet another semi-final spot.

The New Zealanders made it through to a last-four meeting with Pakistan after a fourwicket win over England yesterday extended their trend.

However, despite getting to the same stage at both the World Cup and World Twenty20 in 2007 and the 2006 Champions Trophy, they have not taken the decisive final step.

‘‘It is about time we made a final then,’’ said Vettori.

‘‘There is a lot of determination in the group when we come to these tournaments and there is an expectation of us as a one-day team.

‘‘We have had a pretty good one-day team over the years.

Now it is up to us to deliver a little bit more than that.”

New Zealand’s progress is all the more remarkable given the blight of injuries they have had to deal with.

Fast bowler Daryl Tuffey (broken hand) became their third casualty of the tournament on the eve of the England contest and was yesterday officially replaced in the 15-man squad by Iain O’Brien.

As well as eliminating Sri Lanka, New Zealand’s triumph in their must-win Group B fixture against fellow semi-finalists England secured an extra day’s rest and another match at the Wanderers, a venue which suits the Black Caps’ seamers.

“We are fortunate enough to have the later semi-final now,”

said Vettori. “So that helps us.

“And, to be honest, 99 per cent of the wickets we play on are featherbeds, so it is not a problem once in a while to have wickets which challenge the batsmen.”

Vettori was the latest captain to receive plaudits for sportsmanship in this tournament when he reprieved Paul Collingwood following a run out on Tuesday.