New Zealand cricket coach Mike Hesson should be on the next flight back to New Zealand, writes Dylan Cleaver.

Pakistan opener Ahmed Shehzad, showered the New Zealand team with praise yesterday on the eve of the first T20 at Eden Park tonight.

After NZ co-hosted the Cricket World Cup there has been an unprecedented boost in junior numbers this season.

Fears of a rebel T20 competition, involving at least one NZ team have surfaced after the group behind the failed Indian Cricket League began registering company names.

World record-breaking Kiwi Colin Munro says his mindblowing innings for the Auckland Aces this week is still sinking in, and he's just glad he helped his team out.

Sat on his roller, Rupert Bool takes a break from compressing his cherished cricket pitch and reveals how daunting it is to produce a picture-perfect pitch.

Martin Guptill fended off speculation about his form with a reassuring innings of 66 off 78 balls in yesterday's abandoned third one-day international against Sri Lanka.

Milestone achieved, now moving on. Trent Boult admitted he was chuffed to complete his 100 test wickets at Hagley Oval yesterday but there's a test to be won.

Auckland's grip on the Plunket Shield looks shaky halfway through the third round matches.

The All Blacks, Warriors and the Black Caps say proposed changes to alcohol sponsorship and advertising would threaten the sustainability of their codes at nearly every level.

Many consider themselves well versed in the game but the New Zealand cricket coach can leave those same people thinking about nuances of knowledge they had never considered.

New Zealand's test spinning ranks are into their third year of the time classification known as PV (Post-Vettori) and off-spinner Mark Craig and leg-spinner Ish Sodhi are showing signs of promise.

Mike Hesson's tenure as New Zealand coach hasn't all been plain sailing.

Seeing the second tier of New Zealand players in testing conditions was among the big benefits of the New Zealand A tour of England, according to coach Bob Carter.

New Zealand Cricket's radical overhaul of domestic cricket is nearly complete, and the six major associations have agreed to initiatives it is hoped will revitalise the game.

Investigations into cricket match-fixing allegations have taken a twist, with the revelation NZ captain Brendon McCullum rebuffed an approach to manipulate a game.

The proposed revamp of the International Cricket Council will give substantial powers to India, Australia and England.

Martin Snedden remains optimistic that NZ Cricket will not be left out in the cold after a leaked proposal by the ICC to cede power to the "Big Three" of India, England and Australia.

Cricket umpires might do more than judge dismissals, count deliveries and assess wides and no-balls this summer.

The Beatles famously sang about wanting a revolution; now chief executive David White is no John Lennon, but all around him change is swirling at New Zealand Cricket.

Significant change is coming at board level for New Zealand Cricket.

With relations strained between John Parker's movement for change and New Zealand Cricket's current administration, middle ground is required to govern cricket productively and constructively.