KEY POINTS:
The Black Caps magnificent Chappell-Hadlee performance against Australia shows there is a very simple sporting equation in this country: win and everyone loves you but if you don't, people have other things to do.
It also reinforced our love of beating Australia. It's almost a national pastime.
The
Black Caps showed themselves and the public what they are capable of. Their killer instinct was the outstanding aspect of the win in Hamilton. After a difficult start to the massive run chase and having already won the series, some sides would have settled for 250 then hopped happily on the plane for the West Indies.
Remember that last year they had to mount two world record run chases in the series. They achieved one and just missed the other. So the difference between this year and last is a handful of runs, yet it is a huge step forward.
A star was Craig McMillan, who has brought his international career back from the dead. I'm really pleased for Macca as he's done a lot of hard work but I also feel he has gained confidence in an environment where he now feels comfortable.
You could see Brendon McCullum controlling their partnership in Hamilton.
It is hard to single out individuals as so many are now putting their hands up but McCullum continues to prove his class and versatility. I confess to the odd tingle up the spine when he is at the crease.
The only disappointing aspect is that there is a break of a few weeks before the World Cup so momentum may be lost. It is vital that they start well in the West Indies.
If the tournament was starting next week you would have to give them a really big chance of winning it. As it stands, Australia will remain the favourites, and they will be a much tougher side to beat with Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and the other big guns back - but they are very beatable.
Australia are most vulnerable when they are complacent, and unfortunately that will certainly not be the case now.
Australia had no one to rally the troops when things got off track in the Chappell-Hadlee series - their bowlers didn't know what to do and failed to change the pace of the game when under pressure. That won't happen with Ponting and Gilchrist guiding the ship.
You need to win eight or nine games on the trot to win the World Cup and it means this New Zealand team will have to produce a performance the likes of which we have never seen before.
But this is the most exciting group of talent I've seen for some time, and already among our better one-day outfits. The challenge is to move ahead, to reach a 60 to 70 per cent win ratio instead of settling for 45 per cent.
The signs are good. The quality we have just seen is superior to anything from the 1980s or my era - they are playing at a completely different level. Keep it up, and they will be hard for anyone to beat.
