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Ian Smith: brimming with confidence

I can't wait for the second Test, between times of course I might visit a betting shop and have a bit of a wager.

Ian Smith
Quotes of the week

England v New Zealand
Second Test, Old Trafford
Starts 10.30am, Friday
Sky Sports 1 & HD1
Click here for live listings

Also see

• Nasser Hussain
• Mike Atherton
• Bob Willis

Ian Smith claimed the bragging rights in the commentary box on a good day at Lord's for the Kiwis, Jacob Oram in particular.

The all rounder's fine ton saw New Zealand home to comfortably draw the first Test of the three match series.

And with the visitors heading to Old Trafford for the second Test on Friday, Ian Smith believes they will be full of confidence.

Smith crowed on the skysports.com video blog: "Well here I sit, a very privileged Kiwi in such high esteemed company to have the final blog of this Lord's Test match and it's only apt that I do so as I was the only one to usefully predict the end result.

"A draw, and a good one too for the Kiwis, they'll take a lot from it.

"McCullum an exciting player, Oram coming to the fore too and Vettori - that has always been the guts of New Zealand cricket of the last five or six years, the guys who are prepared to bat from five, six, seven and eight, it's been the strength of the side and it came to the fore.

"We look forward to Manchester and New Zealand, well, they believe in this dressing room that this Test match was always going to be a benchmark and because of that they'll feel mighty satisfied as they head off on their luxury coach up the M1 to Manchester for the start on fabulous Friday."

Smithy heaped the pressure on England - and his commentary box colleagues who all backed England to win - as Michael Vaughan's men head to Manchester with it all to do.

The ex-Kiwi wicketkeeper is planning on putting his money where his mouth is at Old Trafford...

"I can't wait personally," he continued, "between times of course I might visit a betting shop and have a bit of a wager.

"I'll look closely at the Champions League Soccer final as well and just relax into it knowing that England have got all the work to do.

"As a Kiwi underdog we always come here under the suspicion that we're gonna lay down and die - we never do, so we'll see you in Manchester."

Watch Smithy's video blog at the top right of your screen.