England’s Kiwi triumph

Monty: Man of the moment

Was there ever a time the England cricket team didn’t need improving? If so, it certainly isn’t now despite winning their first overseas tour in three years, wrapping up a 2-1 over New Zealand.

Captain Michael Vaughan seems realistic enough in his post-match interview warning the England players about complacency: ‘We're still not quite playing the game we can play and there's lots of improvement to be done,’ he said.

‘We shouldn't get too excited because we've got lots to do before we can be confident of taking on the big boys.

And clearly New Zealand are not the big boys with only a half decent attack, mediocre batting and tactics during the series which at best can be described as suspect.

And it is always worth remembering the dismal form England displayed after the heights they scaled to win the Ashes.

Wrapping up the series, Monty Panesar stepped out of the shadows to nab 6-126 as England won by 121 runs, but Vaughan heaped praise on Ryan Sidebottom, named England's man of the series after taking 24 wickets.

‘Ryan has bowled exceptionally well throughout the series. He's now got 50 Test wickets in a year and I'm sure there are many more to come.’

Monty was only a bit-part player on the lifeless pitches but showed a touch of class to mop up the final resistance on the fifth day of the last Test.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. This winter tour could - and perhaps should - have been even worse after the awful first Test display against the Kiwis. Somehow England picked themselves up, got their act together for the second Test and were clearly the better side by the third.

New Zealand may be going through a transitional phase but it hardly fills the cricketing world with joy that they will be facing England in May back in Blighty.

It will be July and South Africa that the real test of England’s calibre will begin.

share this story: