New Zealand coach Mark Greatbatch regrets what he said after the team's disastrous tour of Bangladesh which ended in a 0-4 rout in the one-day series recently.

Greatbatch ridiculed his players for playing like "a bunch of d**ks". He also attacked the batsmen for having a false opinion of their abilities.

At nets yesterday, the burly former player slapped his cheeks to indicate he was very sorry about what he said. "I said what I said to motivate them. I didn't mean to hurt anyone. It was just a spur-of-the-moment reaction. It was all over television obviously and even my wife didn't like what I said," said Greatbatch yesterday.

Greatbatch was part of Lee Germon's touring party to India in 1995.