Spoke too soon...

Re my previous post... it seems I spoke too soon. Who would have thought, having bowled England all out for 232 and 213, New Zealand would go on to lose the Test by 170 runs on the third day...? That was quite a - shall we say spectacular - collapse from the Kiwis. I don't think I've ever seen a more tortuous second innings. By the sixth wicket down I was just pleading for the Poms to put New Zealand out of their misery, having had everything to gain just to be bowled all out for a scrawny 68.

From an Australian perspective, the lessons are clear: fear Stuart Broad and James Anderson, master the moving ball, and don't cock it up. One silver lining, though, is that England failed to make big scores against the New Zealand seamers. We'll have to wait for the next Test at Headingley to see how the England batsmen perform again against the New Zealand bowlers, but the vulnerability the England batsmen showed in this Test should hearten the Australian bowlers.

Thanks, Kiwis

What was supposed to be a warm-up two-Test New Zealand tour has, for England, dampened their confidence ahead of the Ashes. For Australia, it's raised ours. After coming out of a comfortable series win in India, England were expected to roll New Zealand out of the way in two series against the other antipodeans, before triumphing in the Ashes over an embarassed Australia - the glittering ruby atop the trophy of England's cricketing glories. But the underdog Kiwis, like the feisty Jack Russel, have put up a laudable fight, nearly prevailing over England at home, and now frustrating their hopes again at Lord's.

New Zealand have bowled splendidly so far in the First Test at Lord's, revealing the England team's soft spots ahead of the Ashes. A victory in this Test is certainly not off the table. This supporter of the "worst Australian team since 1877" should be heartened to see England being tripped up - indeed, softened up - by the Kiwis, as should all Australian fans. Especially as the Australian Ashes squad is nowhere near as bad as everyone, not least the English, is making it out to be. We have a squadron of skilled pace bowlers, albeit some of them inexperienced in international cricket, who have the capacity to wreak havoc in English conditions. If England's performance in this Test against New Zealand is any indicator, we should have few problems taking wickets. Defending our own will need to be our focus.

Who would you knight?

There is a likelihood that Tony Abbot, when he becomes Prime Minister, will restore the knighthood order to the Order of Australia, which was abolished by Bob Hawke in the 1980s. Whatever your opinions on Australia's ties to the monarchy, it has traditionally been custom for eminent Australian cricketers to be knighted, either under an imperial order of knighthood or by our native Australian order. The most obvious example is the great Sir Donald Bradman. So I've been thinking about which Australian cricketers I would like to see knighted for their services to the great game, were knighthoods to return to the Australian Honours System.

The two that stand out for me are Sir Richie Benaud and Sir Ricky Ponting. I might also include the other great Australian captains of the modern era: Sir Allan Border and Sir Steve Waugh. It might even be worth considering Sir Shane Warne, Sir Glen McGrath, Sir Adam Gilchrist, Sir Ian Chappell.

Who would you knight?