New Zealanders more than most know the value of the very best of wicket-keepers and the recent furore over the possible absence of Adam Parore from the Test side for the National Bank Series was evidence enough of that

It may have been a match to celebrate 125 years of Canterbury cricket but today's match with England at Hagley Oval won't rate any special mentions when the next 125 years are celebrated

As New Zealand rugby's fortunes implode, the stance of those who drew up the Super 12 programme for this season may have been the biggest favour cricket in Otago and Canterbury have had done for them in recent times

Portable pitch technology will take a significant step in New Zealand when the pitch for the first National Bank Test against England at Jade Stadium will be a portable pitch

England's tour of New Zealand moves into real business mode with the Test series starting on Wednesday and while skipper Nasser Hussain feels England are the underdogs he believes if his side can hit the track running they can soon turn that status

World-ranked New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns will be available for all of the side's winter programme except the West Indies tour

Test match batting preparation aplenty was on offer for England in perfect batting conditions against Canterbury in Christchurch today but, Michael Vaughan, Nasser Hussain and to a lesser extent Craig White excepted, England failed to make the most

Ian Butler's meteoric rise into the stratosphere of international cricket continued apace today with his inclusion in New Zealand's team for the first National Bank Test against England starting in Christchurch next Wednesday

New Zealand's Test team for the first National Bank Test with England will now not be named until 4.30pm tomorrow

Chris Harris moved up the all-time Canterbury batting pecking order with 82 against England today, an innings that lent some credibility to what was shaping as a disappointing total

Andy Caddick demonstrated how much class he has developed as an international front-line bowler on his old stamping ground at Hagley Oval for England in their tour match with Canterbury today

New Zealand will have separate Test and one-day sides for their tour of Pakistan which has now been confirmed from April 18-May 12

England coach Duncan Fletcher is not a happy man

Internationals Chris Cairns and Craig McMillan will not play in the Canterbury team against England at Hagley Oval tomorrow

The peace pipe was smoked at New Zealand Cricket headquarters today as chief executive Martin Snedden met with wicket-keeper Adam Parore and selection committee chairman Sir Richard Hadlee to defuse a potential selection snarler

England seem certain to face a much tougher match than that provided by Otago when they meet Canterbury in the last warm-up match before the first Test starting next week in Christchurch

Queenstown's sun finally broke through on the third afternoon but it didn't shine on either Otago or England as a draw was all England could manage against the worst-performed side in New Zealand's domestic cricket this summer

England are struggling to avoid a serious batting crisis going into the first Test of their three-match National Bank series with New Zealand

England's batsmen will have a definite chance for exoneration if the weather gods are kind to them on the last day of their National Bank tour match with Otago at Queenstown's Events Centre tomorrow

Former New Zealand cricket coach Warren Lees was amazed at England's failure to make the most of their opportunities on a limited first day of their three-day match against Otago at Queenstown today