KEY POINTS:
Little was learned from the Bangladesh tour but if one thing was made obvious it is that the Black Caps still have batting troubles.
The bowling gets a pass-mark, the fielding wasn't too bad but the batting was a failure.
We struggled to bat for more than 90-odd overs against an attack that was really only of first class standard. The reality is that if you get bowled out by one of the top sides in 90 overs, you've lost the game.
The Black Caps, both team and management, should be pretty disappointed with their batting performance against the Bangladeshis. They had stated they wanted batsmen who could bat time but really only Matthew Bell did that.
The New Zealand team is continually in trouble because our batsmen can't make hundreds, and you won't win test matches without batsmen who can make centuries.
This was highlighted during the Bangladesh series - whenever you flicked channels to the Australia-India tests someone was making a hundred.
The Black Caps batsmen continue to get out to poor shots. They play them because they are put under pressure by good bowling. They don't have the game of a Ponting or Hayden, of a Tendulkar or Laxman, who can keep turning the scoreboard over.
Those guys don't have to play big shots. They have a solid game they can rely on, then they take advantage of any loose deliveries and put pressure back on the bowlers.
Our guys succumb to their own lack of ability and I don't know how you fix that. Not too many players manage major change or development after they come into the Black Caps and that in itself is a big problem. They just don't add new dimensions to their game, even after they've been there for four or five years.
It might take two or three years to learn to play an effective pull shot but our guys just don't seem to be doing it.
Hopefully John Wright will have some influence. He could bat, he had a well-developed game which allowed him to occupy the crease and he is reputed to be an excellent coach.
Looking forward to the England series, I expect them to do okay without being world-beaters. If Shane Bond plays we have a reasonable chance of being close to them. They have some solid players but lack any real superstars on current form.
The bowling attacks look fairly even with Bond on board, otherwise the edge is with England. Their batting is certainly stronger than ours.
We may have an edge in the field, if the Black Caps bring their best game.
England are struggling to find a decent keeper and that will remain a problem on this trip. New Zealand is a tough place to keep wicket and their newbies will struggle. You cannot afford to give away as many chances behind the wicket as they have been and this may be an area where they are exposed.
I'm disappointed the Aussies have gone all gay on us and decided they want to be everyone's friend after all the ruckus with India. I thought they were tougher than that. I doubt people wanted to see that hand-holding - this is test match cricket, it's supposed to be tough. I'd prefer to see them at each other's throats.
The Australians appear to have forgotten that they are supposed to be "the ugly Aussies". They don't want to be your mates, they just want to beat you and they'll take any advantage they can get. That is what makes it such a challenge to play them and also why it's so enjoyable when you win.
