KEY POINTS:
Twenty20 cricket isn't just here to stay - it will, I'm certain, become the pre-eminent form of one day cricket within two years.
These are very interesting times for world cricket and New Zealand faces major challenges, although I believe that New Zealand Cricket is up to dealing with them.
Twenty20 cricket is on the rise and over a decade or so, the 50-over game will fade out to be replaced by this condensed version of cricket.
The 50-over game was designed to provide more spectacular entertainment and keep results in the balance until the last half hour.
But people have worked out the 50-over game and it has become too formulated. It is also extremely physically and mentally demanding to play - far more so than test matches.
Cricket needs to get more competitive in the battle for the spectator dollar and change formats to provide what people want. Twenty20 is a way of achieving what 50-over cricket was initially supposed to be all about. The nature of the Twenty20 game means both teams are often in the hunt until the last over.
Within a year I believe you will find teams playing three and maybe five game series, double headers and so on. The rebel leagues etc, are playing Twenty20 and over time you will see more and more resources going into it.
Most players will be able to cross over from tests into Twenty20, although some may be specialists. But you generally find that the best players adapt to all forms of the game.
The challenge for New Zealand cricket is to hang on to its players in these changing times. Up until now, the only way to make a living was to play international cricket but as the rebel Indian league is showing, there are new alternative forms of employment.
They may also be very attractive - players can earn in four months what they used to earn in a year. Craig McMillan has been the first of our players to latch on to it, and it will be interesting to see who follows.
Speaking of changes ... it is sad to see the demise of world series cricket. While Australia hasn't officially canned the series yet, it is a dead duck for sure.
I always regarded it as the No.1 tournament to play in and above the World Cup. We always got to play against Australia and South Africa and it doesn't get any better than lining up against the two best one day teams.
I can understand the rationale behind its demise because of the difficulty in drawing crowds for some match-ups, but it is still a pity to see the world series go.
I grew up watching the tournament throughout summer - the whole package that Kerry Packer came up with was terrific.
The replacement five-match series against Australia will still be great and definitely a tour worth making.
Muttiah Muralitharan has the world test wicket record and his figures place him on another planet compared to every other bowler in history. His strike and economy rates are phenomenal although there is a strong argument that he has not fared as well as Shane Warne against the best opposition.
From the moment I saw Murali, I thought his action was so illegal that there was no point discussing it. But it has become a moot point over time - he's not going to disappear - although a few Australians are filthy about it.
I never thought much of the scientific tests which cleared Murali's action. Anyone can operate in the gym with a whole pile of wires stuck to them and bowl legal off-breaks which turn eight inches. It's another matter turning it a foot and a half, as Murali does in a game.
Until Murali came along, off spin was a dead duck. Everyone loved facing off-spinners - you just ran down the line and worked out whether to hit over mid on or square leg or anywhere in between.
But Murali was so hard to play against because he spun the ball so hard and he developed deliveries that went straight and the other way which added a whole new dimension.
Would I prefer to face Murali or Warnie? I'd take my chances with Warnie because Murali was so awkward and unusual.
Sanath Jayasuriya, who retired from test cricket this week, revolutionised the game with his explosive batting as an opener. He destroyed us for a couple of years.
He was one of those guys who, like Warnie, are able to completely dominate the game for two or three years until everyone else caught up. He got a massive one day hundred against us at Bloemfontein in which he kept hitting everyone off the front foot over point for six.
It was bizarre - no one could work out how he did it.
Over time, we figured out that you had to bowl dead straight and just back of a length or else the ball would disappear.
And finally, to the Chappell-Hadlee series. I reckon the Black Caps will go okay. We were a bit underdone in South Africa and New Zealand teams always start slowly.
A few of the younger guys are starting to hit their straps.
