Well even though the NZ team on paper looks a mess I still think they have it in them to sneak a draw in the home series. This England side is low on confidence and have lost the all important winning habit in test cricket and on some (I suspect) highly questionable tracks tailor made for the medium pacers NZ are more than capable of bringing England down to their level. A repeat of the last tour where we seemed to play most of the cricket for the first couple of tests and get mugged in the final test isn't IMO beyond the realms of possibility.

The batting on paper looks pretty dismal (Styris and Taylor simply have to be recalled) but they have a massive edge in the tail/lower order and whilst England are capitulating as soon as we go 5-6 down (depending on whether Ambrose or possibly Mustard can make an immediate impression with the bat) I can see Vettori and co scrambling NZ up to some vaguely half decent totals aided by I fear some wretched fielding by England.

The bowling minus Bond does look pop gun and on flat pitches will get taken apart but in home conditions they are capable of knocking over this somewhat erratic English batting lineup which has two big question marks over it in a new keeper and the returning Strauss. The series will all hinge on whether the likes of Bell, Vaughan and co minus the Murali factor can convert their starts and the pretty 60's and 70's into match defining innings's.

On a side note do you reckon that Fleming's going to be the latest Kiwi retirey (if that's even a word ) at the end of the England tour. I can see him calling it a day at Trent Bridge ala Cairns.