The smart money suggests England will start as solid favourites for the three-test series against New Zealand. That view hasn't changed despite New Zealand deservedly winning the ODI series 3-1.
The Herald lists five key things New Zealand need to do to give themselves their best chance in the tests when the first one starts in Hamilton next Wednesday.
KEY POINTS:
1: Field out of their skins
The gulf between New Zealand and England during the ODI series in terms of their outcricket was of Cook Strait proportions.
New Zealand dropped one catch in the five games - a howler by Brendon McCullum early in the tie at Napier. It was crucial, costing over 100 runs in the opening partnership, but the game ended in a tie, so the spill was outdone by the thrill.
England's catching was woeful.
New Zealand caught proficiently, kept their concentration and, having figured out England were skittery between the wickets, made sure there was hesitation in the batsmen's minds, and they hit the stumps more than at any time in recent memory. They took seven run-outs in the first three games.
There will be fewer chances for that, given the more cautious running test cricket produces. But they will know Kevin Pietersen, England's key batsman, likes to dominate, and doesn't like getting pegged down.
Best the fielders are on their toes when he's on strike.
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2: The top order must stand firm
Jamie How is a good chance to open with Matthew Bell. How is in good form and his confidence must be high after his terrific century in Napier. No 3 is likely to be Peter Fulton or Mathew Sinclair with Stephen Fleming to follow.
They will encounter pace and bounce (Steve Harmison), high-class swing (Matthew Hoggard) and probably an in-form left armer (Ryan Sidebottom, providing he is fit).
Get through the early burst at Seddon Park and they will have achieved two things: giving themselves a boost and providing a lead for those to follow.
Do an Invitation XI at Dunedin this week - Bell, Fulton, Fleming and Sinclair gone for a combined seven runs - and the momentum will be decisively with the tourists and New Zealand may not recover.
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3: Combine aggression with patience
Come again? It's like this: New Zealand must be assertive, back themselves with the bat, bowl to their plans, attack with the new ball, field sharply and hold their catches. Simple.
The patience part calls for batsmen to eschew rash strokes. Get the ODIs out of the mind.
As for the bowlers, they are up against high-class, experienced operators such as Michael Vaughan, Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, Pietersen and Paul Collingwood. Cook and Collingwood are workers, Vaughan and Bell quality stroke-makers and Pietersen is England's ace.
If England threaten to get away, stay focused. One wicket can easily lead to two. So often both batsmen in a sizeable stand are out in quick succession. Keep the intensity up as a partnership mounts.
As has been seen in the ODIs, England's batsmen are far from infallible, especially if they feel they're getting strangled. Daniel Vettori's left-arm spin is crucial here but he'll need support. Bowl loosely at the other end and batsmen will sit on their splice at Vettori's end and milk the runs at the other.
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4: The key players must lead the way
New Zealand have long prided themselves on being a team where everyone contributes, as opposed to a star system. The depth in the New Zealand game doesn't lend itself to that. Even so, this is a series where New Zealand will need their senior players to be dominant figures.
So step forward Vettori, who is in excellent form at the moment, allrounder Jacob Oram, Stephen Fleming - still the team's best batsman embarking on his final test series before retirement - and McCullum.
Teams draw strength from an assertive, top-class wicketkeeper.
Fleming has his personal incentive of edging his average, which stands at 39.73, above 40. Also, 10 test hundreds has a better ring to it than nine, 11 better than 10.
Vettori - the importance of the new ball notwithstanding - is critical, for his bowling and his leadership. Oram shapes as the best foil to Vettori with the ball if a tying-down operation is required and he'll need to make runs.
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5: Martin's liking for left-handers
The new ball man has a good record against left-handers. Martin averages 19.86 a wicket against lefties; 22.29 against right-handers. Of his 125 wickets, 77 are batsmen in the top five.
His natural angle takes the ball away from the lefties and England will likely have two in their top three; Cook and Andrew Strauss.
Martin has shown he can get the best batsmen out. He can be expensive at times, but if he can get among the English top order he'll have given his team a significant fillip.
