'The worst NZ side in 40 years'

Overjoyed by the victory of 'the worst team in 40 years' over England, Paul Holden analyses the Hamilton Test in his blog the Sideline Slogger.

Let’s reflect on what brought England to its knees at Hamilton. I think it was a combination of momentum, clear leadership and sheer determination. We thundered into this Test match on the back of a one-day series win, with a captain leading the way and at the top of his game.

By contrast, England has a mish-mash of captaincy options. Collingwood steps aside for Vaughan while the ever-present chirper Kevin Pietersen is hard to ignore. He thought he was the captain in the one-dayers so presumably he throws his rand’s worth around in the Test match dressing room as well. KP may not be the asset to his captains that KP thinks he is.

Also listen to the Beige Brigade's podcast on 'Thumping Poms in the Tron'.

New Zealand Herald's Chris Rattue writes that what was supposed to be a very good English team with Ashes-winning strains have been embarrassed by a melting pot of promise stirred by a couple of clever veterans in Daniel Vettori and Stephen Fleming.

The Seddon Park groundsman is celebrating as hard as the New Zealand team. "I am rapt," he tells the Waikato Times.