Cricket: Coach says washout allows players a rest

New Zealand cricket coach John Bracewell was unperturbed by the rain-abandoned one day international that saw the inaugural Chappell-Hadlee series end up with a tame sharing of the honours.

Bracewell said the long season and the late scheduling of the fixture itself meant he was not worried about the missed finale: "I think we have to get real sometimes.

"These guys (the Black Caps) have been playing for 18 months and we have got something like 10 days to prepare for the domestic internationals against Sri Lanka and Australia."

Bracewell said it was difficult for the Australians as well as they had to prepare for Thursday's test match against Pakistan. "It would have been good to resolve matters but, with the pressure on the schedule, I don't think it would have made sense (to play a reserve day) even if one had been scheduled. We had guys coming back to play domestic cricket and it just would have got too congested. It has been a very crowded year."

Sri Lanka begin a five-match one-day international series at Eden Park on Boxing Day and finish a two-test series on January 26. Then the Australians arrive for five one-dayers and three tests, which run from February 17-March 30.