England expects...

Dave Fulton believes New Zealand will provide a stern test of England's one-day credentials.

England will hope to continue their one-day renaissance as the serious stuff in New Zealand finally gets under way on Tuesday with the first of two Twenty20 matches followed by five ODIs. The Blackcaps are formidable opposition in the shorter forms of the game on their own patch and will start favourites despite England's upturn in fortunes since Peter Moores started yanking hard on the one-day reins. England last confronted New Zealand during their ill-fated World Cup campaign, which sealed the fate of Duncan Fletcher, Moores' predecessor. England went into that tournament full of misplaced optimism having triumphed over both New Zealand and Australia in the Commonwealth Bank Series but came crashing back down to earth against Stephen Fleming's side in their opening fixture. Fleming and Craig MacMillan have moved aside and fast bowler Shane Bond has been banned from playing by the New Zealand Cricket Board for plying his trade in India yet the Blackcaps still look powerful, especially with the bat in the middle order where Ross Taylor, Scott Styris, Jacob Oram and Brendon McCullum all strike a long ball. This England side, however, bears little resemblance to the one which lost that World Cup opener in the West Indies. Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, James Anderson and Paul Collingwood are the only four survivors from that day as out have gone Ed Joyce, Michael Vaughan, Jamie Dalrymple, Paul Nixon, Liam Plunkett and Monty Panesar. Andrew Flintoff, of course, remains on the comeback trail.

Admirable

Moores' new look side, captained by the admirable Collingwood, triumphed over India and Sri Lanka in closely contested series in 2007 but victory in New Zealand will make the cricketing world sit up and take notice of England as a one-day force. New Zealand is a notoriously difficult place to win one-day games. Australia, admittedly without Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee and Andrew Symonds, were put to the sword 3-0 by the Blackcaps a year ago as scores of 300+ were chased down at a canter. The grounds, two of which are also used for rugby, are small especially square of the wicket and the home side know their angles and tactics. England will have to be smart in their preparations and have the mental tenacity to hang in games. The new ball will be dangerous but as the lacquer comes off the ball, anything is possible in the later overs. The Blackcaps' recent success has been based on chasing down totals so expect Collingwood to insert the opposition if he gets the chance. The England captain has made a name for himself as a finisher of games and if he can shake of his injury worries ahead of the ODIs I expect him, Owais Shah and the irrepressible Kevin Pietersen to hold the key to England's fortunes.