New Zealand have pulled off a quite sensational win over Australia to lift the 2007 Chappell Hadlee trophy. Australia in the first innings had posted the highest ever one day total at Eden Park by some 32 runs in their tally of 336 making New Zealand’s successful chase with an over and a bit to spare all the more remarkable.

In the same week that has seen a lot of talk in New Zealand about Adam Parore’s disparaging comments about captain Stephen Fleming, the Kiwi skipper painted a pleased and resolute picture as he applauded Peter Fulton and Brendan McCullum off the park. He has managed, with this win, to back up his defiant media response, with a defiant team performance, despite only making 6 with the bat.

Australia look, for the first time since the Ashes of 2005, to be a side unsure of how to halt their slide and in losing the second Chappell Hadlee match have also lost their No 1 spot in the one day international rankings, making way for South Africa. With the world cup only weeks away, it’s not the best time to give a team a psychological advantage, let alone 3 teams. England, New Zealand and to a lesser extent South Africa - by way of the rankings - will all feel a certain degree of confidence over Australia after the results of the last couple of weeks, and it should make for a competition that is genuinely open to any number of teams.

As Stephen Fleming says in his deodorant adverts, “Bring It On”