The New Zealand team is currently in England, currently playing warm-up games, with games already played against the MCC, Kent and Essex.

Daniel Vettori and Brendon McCullum, the captain and vice captain of the team recently arrived in England, after playing in the Indian Premier League. The other three frontline players, Jacob Oram, Ross Taylor and Kyle Mills, also played in the IPL, have been in England with the rest of the team to finish their warm-up games.

They commence the Test Series against England, to run for three matches, at Lord’s on May 15. New Zealand are typically slow starters on tour, and the need to impress and sustain some momentum is crucial as the English are a far superior team on home soil.

'Australia has an embarassment of riches in cricketing talent. New Zealand does not'


But the New Zealanders are missing one crucial ingredient in their quest - a world-class player. I believe that the squad is capable, with solid batsmen, economical bowlers, and a world-class spinner in captain Daniel Vettori.

The most logical trade would be for Australia to have their highest-ranked non-Test player to ply his trade for New Zealand. This is a valid request. The relationship between the countries in sport is constant. Some would credit the emergence of Australian Rugby Union down to their constant fixtures against New Zealand's domestic and national teams. 

Others would claim that the Kiwi’s evolution as a Rugby League power is due to their participation in the Australian NRL. The netballers now compete in a regular Trans-Tasman tournament, and the elite domestic soccer tournament – the A league, has a team from New Zealand participating in their competition.

Furthermore, Australia has an embarrassment of riches in cricketing talent. New Zealand does not, and it would benefit the might of the Baggy Green to have their closest geographic rival stronger for the inclusion of one of their players.

By the same token, we could also have a retired Test player compete in the New Zealand squad for a fairly comfortable “retirement package”, something to match the Indian Premier League salaries.

Not only would this benefit the Australians, it would naturally promote the New Zealand team. Naturally, they would become more competitive, especially considering that outside of Zimbabwe, they have a weak domestic structure that cannot compete with the likes of Australia, England or the sub-continental nations. 

It would also profit the players in the Kiwi test team itself. The benefit of having the presence of a top-level player would be that the players around them would be stronger for it. If it was a non-Test, top-level player – Simon Katich, the forgotten son of Australian test cricket? – and the highest scoring state run scorer in 2007 would be a brilliant addition.

If it was a retired player, I think Justin Langer would serve an appropriate swansong as the new opener of the New Zealand cricket team. But, I think that one man would like the novelty of playing for his old foes, and would work well with the New Zealanders to strengthen the ability to his old Trans Tasman rival; Shane Warne. He would make a marvellous addition to the New Zealand Test team. And he has quite a handy record in England to assist the Kiwi’s to a solid Test series victory. 

Warne could think of it as a pseudo Ashes series.....