KEY POINTS:
It's disappointing that the Black Caps are still not holding their catches - they would have won the first ODI in South Africa - but there are encouraging signs, especially around the batting.
Brendon McCullum needs to keep on opening because he is one of the best strikers
of the ball, has a good head on him and is no longer prone to rash decisions, and he can improve.
With most players who reach international level, what you see is what you get, but McCullum has a great deal of improvement in him and he'll turn into an Adam Gilchrist or close to.
McCullum produced three 150-plus scores at junior level against Australia, he was totally dominant for New Zealand at that level as no one else has been, so we know the ability has been there for some time. He has a good pull shot, is quick on his feet and he has all the ingredients to dominate a bowling attack. The Black Caps need that.
I'd fix Stephen Fleming at No 2. His form has been a bit disappointing given his status in the game. I'd be disappointed if that was because he has any baggage from being dropped as captain. Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara are genuinely great players who were dropped as captain and continued to perform, I don't think Flem has any right to be unduly peeved. You only get dropped because you're not getting results. I know, it's happened to me.
Lou Vincent would be my number three and I like Ross Taylor at four - he can make big scores easily and he doesn't play silly shots. Scott Styris should be at five and Matt Sinclair at six, although you can tinker with three to six. You'd expect all of those to make 30 to 40 runs or more and if they do, we're not going to be putting so much pressure on the bowlers to get runs.
I'd stick with Sinclair. His technique is not super-flash, he's not a great player of spin - especially leg spin - but he can make big hundreds. Anyone with a proven record of doing that is probably worth continuing with. He is the sixth best in New Zealand. If he needs to be sheltered down the order a bit, so be it. There is a vast difference between facing the best 12 bowlers in the world with a new ball and coming in at four, five or six when the shine is off and the field is starting to tire and have lapses in concentration.
The batting looks okay at ODI level. The bowling shouldn't be too bad either.
Kyle Mills has done a great job coming in late. You can't underestimate the effect of the enthusiasm guys who are not number one pick bring when they are called up because of injuries. You don't necessarily have to be the best to really lift your teammates and Mills has done that a few times. He's obviously good at it.
I would use Jeetan Patel in the coming games. Unless it's green, he could be a valuable part of the attack. He is an enthusiastic fielder, he's a good one-day performer and with Shane Bond out they should use him all the time.
It is a concern that we keep losing games we could win in the last couple of overs but it's nothing new. I remember losing five or six in a row on the last or second-last ball. I'm not quite sure what the problem is but it stems from the fact we are always playing catch-up and trying to claw back to even.
I'm sure the team is aware of the problem with lapses in the fielding - they are not dummies. They will have identified that as an area where they can improve and have tried to fix things. Perhaps the problem is now forcing things and trying too hard. That's when you do drop it.
It's a matter of making the adjustment to find a middle ground so you are not over-keen and also not too under-tuned. That is the mark of a professional.
