KEY POINTS:
The Black Caps' problems finding consistently reliable opening batsmen and more top-level bowlers will never go away.
The real danger for New Zealand Cricket is that the team must find some means of regaining credibility in the international game or it will be left behind financially and risks
slumping to second division status.
The two heavy test losses in South Africa have compounded NZ Cricket's problems - the team has now had 11 test losses and seven wins since 2001 but six of the seven victories have been over Zimbabwe or Bangladesh.
It is vital that we regain some respectability against the other test-playing nations and especially the "big four" - Australia, England, India and South Africa. We are almost at a B grade level now and they will not want to play us if there is no money in it for them.
Unless this is rectified, NZ Cricket will have major issues in terms of the opportunity to play the better sides and the broadcast fees and sponsors that come with it.
The first sign we've seen of the coming problems in this area is Craig McMillan's departure for India. That was a huge call for him to turn his back on playing for his country. That hasn't happened since Glenn Turner left for county cricket in England but it might be something we'll see more of.
The main problem is that the guys haven't had a pay rise in five years. You only need to look at what's happened to the value of your house and the price of petrol over the same period to work out that the real value of their earnings has halved.
I love playing for my country but would I really want to do it for half of what I was getting five years ago? The answer is no, especially when now you have the option of playing for three weeks in India and making as much as you would flying all over the world with the Black Caps for 12 months. Then there's the doubt over getting selected and having no idea what's going on with your career longer term.
When there's such a big financial incentive, some players will choose to go and they'll probably be the better ones.
The problems the Black Caps have are not new to New Zealand teams. I remember getting some absolute floggings. They are just going to have to tough this out - there are no easy solutions.
We do not have players to bring in who could make a difference. Shane Bond simply cannot be fixed - that's how he is and we have to get used to the idea he will play 50 per cent of games. The opening batters will remain an issue. It's a problem we've had for generations.
The only players to make a fist of it in recent memory are Glenn Turner, Bruce Edgar, John Wright and more lately Mark Richardson. The reason is due to the wickets in New Zealand and the weather - again you can't fix it.
New Zealand wickets are difficult to bat on, as evidenced by the fact our batsmen score more runs overseas than they do at home. Our practice facilities are poor. A test batsman needs to bat on grass every day. Our young players are not getting that practice. Ricky Ponting plays the pull shot the way he does because he has confidence after being brought up on good wickets. Our guys don't pull because it's a very good way to get out.
There's been lots of focus on the Black Caps' poor batting and at times the bowling but the area where they could really make a difference is in their fielding.
It is the one part of the game you can control 100 per cent.
Fielding is a great leveller in test cricket. If you don't drop a catch in a game you are always going to be in with a chance to win. And even if you come up against a Brian Lara or a Jacques Kallis good fielding will always keep you in the game.
Kallis could have been snaffled up a couple of times early on in his innings but the Black Caps failed to put pressure on him. If you drop this guy, the difference on the scoreboard at the end of play could be a couple of hundred runs.
Good fielding is critical, it builds momentum. Particularly when you are thin in batting and bowling and struggling for confidence.
The Black Caps should not be feeling dispirited going into the one-dayers. The shorter game suits our style. The damage that someone like Kallis can do is limited in 50overs.
They played very poorly in the tests and so were beaten but there is no reason why they cannot turn things around. John Bracewell, Dan Vettori and Stephen Fleming have the expertise to put together a plan and lift the young guys to better performances.
Bracewell needs to take the lead here. He has a good work ethic and hard work is what's needed now. It's a young team who will largely do what they're told - they're not in a position to do otherwise now.
That's how it was when Steve Rixon took over. It was a simple equation. We worked hard on our fielding, put together a real team unit and built our game around that.
