New Zealand showed why they will be real title contenders with the ease which with they beat England in the first match of their group. Both teams would have gone in with loads of confidence, especially after having beaten Australia recently, and would have also recognized that this game was an important one from the psychological point as to which was the better of the two winners over Australia.

England got off to a terrible start with Joyce being out to the first ball of the game and then on England were on the backfoot throughout the game in spite of a solid partnership between Pietersen and Collingwood.Shane bond is going to be one of the key players in the New Zealand campaign, for not only has he the extra pace to keep batsmen watchful but he has added a slower delivery which is well masked and thus difficult to pick for the batsmen. It was two such deliveries that dealt a body blow to England’s hopes of putting up a 250 plus total.

First Bond got the dangerous looking Pietersen out caught at long on much to the astonishment of the well set batsman who couldn’t quite believe how cleverly he had been deceived and then Bond followed it up with the prize wicket of Flintoff who also didn’t pick the slower leg cutter and spooned a catch to cover.

England recovered somewhat with a plucky partnership between Nixon and Plunkett but they did not have enough on the board to worry New Zealand too much and even though the Kiwis lost three quick wickets, the partnership between Styris and McMmillan steadied the ship and then the big fella Oram joined Styris to take New Zealand to an easy win.

The facile win will make every other team sit up and take notice of New Zealand. My man of the match is Shane bond for the manner in which he bowled and got those two important wickets. New Zealand will have to wrap him in cotton wool and ensure that this talented but injury prone cricketer lasts throughout the World Cup. PMG