Cricket: England tour looking bright despite series slip-up

1.00pm - By MARK GEENTY

New Zealand are in far better shape for their England odyssey than five years ago despite their major cricketing hiccup yesterday, captain Stephen Fleming says.

The New Zealand players have a fortnight off before preparations begin for their April 27 departure to England after their 1-1 series draw with South Africa.

The tourists righted a below-average tour with a six-wicket win at the Basin Reserve here yesterday, squaring a series which was New Zealand's to win after their outstanding nine-wicket win in Auckland.

Attention will quickly turn to England with the top-order batting looming once again as headache No 1 in the washup from a torrid series, although stars Nathan Astle, Shane Bond and Daryl Tuffey are all hoped to return.

Fleming, who presided over a 2-1 series win in England five years ago under coach Steve Rixon, still believed the side were even better equipped this time around.

"A lot more confident but still very wary. England are in a group of teams simmering around the same level, they're having success in the West Indies which can be good, can be bad depending on how they take it," Fleming said.

"We go over with a much more settled side than we did last time. Experiencing the win last time we know what it takes."

Fleming said the two poor batting efforts against some much improved South Africa pace bowling lost them the match here.

South Africa cruised home seven overs after lunch yesterday chasing 234, with captain Graeme Smith a courageous 125 not out and Gary Kirsten farewelling test cricket with 76 in his 101st match.

Smith was gracious in victory and predicted New Zealand would again prove a handful for England in the three-test series starting at Lord's on May 20.

"I think they're pretty good. Last time they toured there they had a pretty good test victory and I think they'll be well prepared," Smith said.

"The England bowling attack is one of their strong points, there are some good fast bowlers coming through. From the batting side, New Zealand are going to have to come up with a gameplan.

"It's quite a taxing tour, as long as New Zealand can stay motivated at the end of a long season I think they'll be all right."

Fleming was adamant the season didn't rest on yesterday's result even though it gave them a 1-2 deficit in test matches at home. It was a rare test series drought at home after they lost 0-1 to Pakistan pre-Christmas.

"Team-wise we performed better but their talent shone through right towards the end, whereas our key players didn't feature."

No-one stepped up with the bat here after Scott Styris, Chris Cairns and Jacob Oram's heroics in Auckland.

Cairns ended the test with 206 wickets at 29.27 and 3160 runs at 33.98, including 21 half-centuries and five centuries, but still uncertainty over his future.

His partner Carin, their two young sons, his mother Sue and manager Leanne McGoldrick were all in the crowd but there was no word afterwards to confirm if it was his final test.

Cairns is expected to take a few days to mull over his future before the expected announcement he will play just one-day internationals from now on.

For Fleming's part he claimed to still be in the dark over Cairns' future.

"I have no idea," he said.

New Zealand's two standouts of the series were Oram and Chris Martin, Oram averaging 94.33 with the bat despite being demoted to No 8 here, and Martin taking 18 series wickets from just four innings.

The only time Martin couldn't produce the goods was yesterday as Smith and Kirsten added the match-winning stand of 171.

- NZPA