Cricket: Thrashings could help NZ batsmen, says Langer

Australian opener Justin Langer believes New Zealand's bats-men will come through their chastening experience against Australia better players - if they're not too scarred, that is.

Langer said watching Australia's attack was like watching some of the great West Indian attacks from the 1980s.

"This team currently boasts an attack as good as there has been," Langer wrote in his weekly column.

"If Jason Gillespie or Glenn McGrath don't get you then look out, because Michael Kasprowicz is as miserly and aggressive as any bowler going around at the moment. Add to this threesome the best leg-spin bowler ever in Shane Warne and it would be fair to say it just doesn't get any tougher."

Langer had little to worry about against New Zealand's now infamous 'pop-gun' attack, scoring 295 runs (including 215 in the first innings at Adelaide) in three innings.

"We slowly chipped away at the spirit of the New Zealand batting line-up," Langer said.

"The New Zealand batsmen, if not too scarred, will leave this series tougher and wiser players."

Langer said pressure from the Australian bowlers was so intense that gaps in the field must have seemed like dots, with batsmen wondering where their next runs were going to come from.

"On a pitch [Adelaide Oval] that was as near to perfect as I have seen, the pressure applied by our bowlers was a form of torture for the New Zealand batsmen," Langer said.

It reminded Langer of the baptism of fire he received when he first came into test cricket.

"Battered and bruised by an awesome West Indian attack, I was taken aside by David [Boon], who said: 'Young man, I have played test cricket for a long time and I promise you it never gets tougher than this'," Langer said.

"At times during this test in Adelaide, David's words echoed in my mind.

"As I watched our opponents, I thought that Test cricket simply won't get any tougher for a lot of them."