WORCESTERSHIRE Rapids NatWest T20 Blast signing Mitchell Santner has revealed the huge impact on his career of Daniel Vettori.

Santner was bowling medium pacers up until the age of 15 before he watched fellow New Zealander Vettori in action.

It led to him switching to spin and now he is following in the footsteps of Vettori with the Blacks Caps.

Vettori ended up with 362 wickets and 4,531 runs at an average of 30 from 113 Tests in addition to playing in 295 ODIs in an 18 year international career.

And 24-year-old Santner said: "If I have half as good a career as him, it will not be too bad!"

Santner, who also played in the rain-hit Specsavers County Championship clash with Glamorgan, said: "I guess he was the reason I changed to bowling spin. I only started bowling spin when I was 15.

"I bowled medium pace before. I was too small. I was 17 when I started growing. I wasn't going to get very far bowling seamers so I guessed it looked a bit easier (bowling spin) than running in off the long run!

"Daniel Vettori was a massive influence for me. I was lucky enough to watch a lot of cricket, a lot of him bowling, and I was lucky enough to play with him for a few games in my first season.

"It was quite good to pick his brain and he taught me more of the tactical side of bowling, setting batsmen up rather than trying to bowl 'miracle' balls all the time which is obviously pretty hard to do!

"I still keep in contact with him. It will be nice if I could have a lengthy career like him. That's the goal, to play for a few years in all three formats like he did.

"He is a legend of New Zealand cricket. If I have half as good a career as him, it will not be too bad!”