Kiwis confident of beating England

New Zealand's cricketers left Australia on Saturday after another promising tour ended in defeat but still confident of beating England.

Stephen Fleming's under-rated Kiwis held Australia's world champions to a draw in the three match test series then beat Steve Waugh's World Cup holders three times in four one-day matches.

New Zealand made the finals of the triangular one-day series at Australia's expenses only to crash to two heavy defeats against South Africa in the best-of-three finals series.

Despite their near-miss, all-rounder Chris Cairns said he was confident New Zealand would still beat England in their upcoming test and one-day series if they held their form.

"We have to pick ourselves up for England who perhaps aren't the quality of what we've been playing over here," said Cairns, one of the stars of the series just finished.

"Hopefully the competition we've been playing in will put us in good stead.

"It will be a good series but I think hopefully with the exposure we've had here to good quality play will start us as favourites."

Fleming said he also thought New Zealand's performances against Australia and South Africa auger well for them ahead of their upcoming series against England.

The Kiwis play England in Christchurch on Wednesday in the first of five limited-overs internationals before the end of the month followed by a three match test series.

Fleming said New Zealand had shown they were good enough to compete against any side but had to learn how to turn close matches into victories.

"We're disappointed the way things finished for us," Fleming said.

"I guess if you look at the tournament our energies were all spent in the first half and then we just mistakes at crucial times.

"It's not a mental thing, we just keep making mistakes under pressure, but I guess if you look back at the tour you can say we developed and we'll be a good team in 12 months.

"We won't be making the same mistakes again."

Mail Cricket Editor