Trent Boult chose Lord's of all settings to reiterate he is capable of dismissing the world's best test batsmen.

Since January 2011, New Zealand has played eight test series and two one-off tests against Zimbabwe. Six of them have been two-test series. Their only three-test series have been at home against South Africa and England.

The contrast between the two captains leading into tonight's England-New Zealand test series could not have been more marked.

As a member of the Lord's ground staff 11 years ago, Ross Taylor is as qualified as anyone in the New Zealand squad to discuss how to best deal with playing at the spiritual home of cricket.

A five-wicket bag from Neil Wagner has taken New Zealand to a 107-run victory against Derbyshire in the opening match of their England tour.

Paul Wiseman has been recruited as a guide on local conditions for the New Zealand cricket tour of England.

For more than 12 years, New Zealand test fans have watched Chris Martin bustle to the crease, splaying his arms for balance before looking over his left shoulder and firing 14,026 deliveries at opposition batsmen.

Dreadful news this week for those who savour public airings of other people's dirty laundry, ie, the vast majority of us: Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum will not be seeing John Parker in court after all.

The sideshow to the main event has ended, leaving omelette-faced ex-international John Parker in retreat mode, writes Dylan Cleaver.

The only reason Mark Richardson can come up with regarding the motivation for John Parker and Co to go public with their document on the Taylor affair is fear.

Paul Lewis writes: The Ross Taylor captaincy saga seems to have descended into a farce.

The Canberra Raiders are hoping home ground advantage and the X-factor of a little known youngster will turn their NRL season fortunes around today against the Sydney Roosters.

It would be a huge stretch to call it a gasp of exasperation; maybe more a quiet exhalation, but New Zealand coach Mike Hesson yesterday briefly let his guard slip over the ongoing off-field drama surrounding his team.

Spinner Daniel Vettori has returned to the one-day side for the Black Caps after eight months out of international cricket with an ankle injury.

That's what happens when you sweep something under the carpet. It rarely disappears; it just gets bigger and bigger until you trip over it.

The loss of the captaincy can be directly linked to a slump in test batting form for Ross Taylor.