Final Thoughts on the Cricket

It was a quite outstanding and fitting way to end a dramatic summer of New Zealand cricket. In the end, Father Time was on England's side and the Blackcaps ran out of time to get the last wicket to win the deciding test and their first test series against England since 1999.

When the emotion wears off along with the despair of not winning the test, the Blackcaps can be mighty proud of how far they've come this season. It was not too long ago that the Blackcaps were derided as the laughing stock of New Zealand sport. At the start of the season, new coach, Mike Hesson had been involved in controversy over the captaincy of the team and popular captain, Ross Taylor was forced out of the role despite leading the Blackcaps to a test victory in Sri Lanka. Brendon McCullum took over as captain to jeers and boos as they headed to South Africa to take on the number one side in world cricket.

After taking walloping after walloping in the test series, the Blackcaps rallied in the one-day series to take out their first ever series win in South Africa.

They came home with their tails up and pushed England in the Twenty20 and one day series. They lost both series - not surprising given England's stature over New Zealand in the world cricket rankings.

The test series was expected to be a one-sided affair to England, the number two side in the world and keen to get some momentum prior to the Ashes later in the year.

Alas, the 8th ranked Blackcaps were competitive for much of the series, having had the upper hand in the 1st and 3rd tests in Dunedin and Auckland respectively on quite benign pitches. They also had weather on their side with rain saving them in Wellington - ironic given that this was one of Wellington's driest summers ever on record.

The most encouraging sign is that the Blackcaps finally appear to have sorted their test team out - plus there is ample competition for spots in the side especially in the pace bowling stocks with Doug Bracewell certain to push current incumbents, Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner for a spot when the New Zealanders tour England in May. The returning Martin Guptill will hope to do the same with Hamish Rutherford and the in-form Peter Fulton, who has surely booked his seat for that same tour after a stellar summer with the bat.

What more can be said about the lumbering 2-metre Peter? Once one of the most derided players in New Zealand cricket, now two-ton Fulton appears to have finally figured out the secret to success at international level and in his early 30s has emerged as a very mature head at the top of the innings. His twin tons at Eden Park will live long in memory.

So here's my Test Series XI -

Peter Fulton
Hamish Rutherford
Jonathan Trott
Kane Williamson
Ian Bell
Brendon McCullum (captain)
Matt Prior (wk)

Bruce Martin
Steven Finn

Neil Wagner
Trent Boult