Banglawashed

Well, thank god that's over. Embarrassing doesn't begin to describe it.

Watching New Zealand lose regularly isn't a new experience for us. But with most NZ sides, defeat generally comes about because the opposition have been too good. Thanks to a certain level of commitment and efficiency we've come to associate with kiwi cricketers, NZ sides have almost always seen off weaker opposition with few problems. In this series, there was a new-found carelessness more characteristic of Pakistan and West Indies at their worst, and it was awful to watch.

Bangladesh are an improved side no doubt, but not so much that they should be kicking us around. The difference was that they showed a lot more purpose about their cricket than we did. In addition, I think Shakib al-Hasan would walk into most international sides.

The most infuriating of the lot was the final ODI, in which the batsmen made a chase of 174 appear like they were scaling Mt.Everest in a drunken state. Does McCullum really see himself making it as a specialist batsman in tests after getting out to one filthy stroke after another? Is this the way Mr.High-Maintenance Ryder repays NZC after yet another "last chance"? And what were Dan and Grant Elliott thinking, playing those wretched shots after having done all the hard work for once? OK, Elliott was probably the least culpable but frankly it's the poor shot selection by the batsmen every time which leaves me cold.

From a NZ perspective, the best thing about the tour was that the tests were cut, and with them, more potential banana skins; I'd much rather watch NZ get walloped by a top test nation (sorry Bangladesh!). Apart from that, there was Kane Williamson (with three ducks and a century in his ODI career, NZ's Marcus North?), and Hamish Bennett who bowls at least as quick as Chris Martin and apparently bats better. There, I'm done clutching at straws.