Australia complete comfortable victory

Australia completed a comprehensive victory over New Zealand in the second Test in Adelaide on Monday and though the result of the series was never in doubt, their 2-0 triumph will have lifted their confidence after their defeat in India.

New Zealand contributed to their own downfall with some tame wickets in their second innings but Australia will feel they are on their way back, which can only bode well for the future.

They do, though, have to step up a gear and the visit of South Africa, who begin a three-Test series in Perth later this month, will go a long way to showing whether their loss in India was the start of a decline or merely a blip.

With the two sides then playing another Test series in South Africa in the new year, Australia will be pushed hard and by March we should know what kind of side we can expect to see arrive in England for the Ashes.

To my mind, they still have a long way to go to recover their aura of invincibility, but they are talented, motivated and they have only lost one series. It is too soon to write them off just yet.

New Zealand, on the other hand, need to sort out their batting, quickly, if they are not to become one of the whipping boys once more.

I will have a full preview of the South Africa series in the days to come, so please check back regularly for updates.