New Zealand flogged England in the First Test on Sunday. England were set 300 for victory, but just couldn't quite get there, all out for 110. Ryan Sidebottom's hat-trick was in vain, as was Aussie Tim Ambrose's debut first innings half-century.

But hang on a tic? Wasn't New Zealand cricket supposed to be on its way down the tubes having lost all its best talent to the Icicle?

Ooh ahh Glenn McGrath!
Clarke and hussey fail to score.
Poms sing in the rain.

Wow. England take their winning streak to three and lead the Commonwealth Bank Finals Series 1-0. Can they make it four on Sunday?

The Guardian's OBO of the first final:
Australian innings;
England innings.

Man of the match: Ian Healy.

John Howard, the self-styled "cricket tragic" who takes seems blissfully unaware of either one-day cricket or Twenty20, made a cameo appearance at Maroubra Beach this morning to toss the bat prior to the Australia v England Beach Cricket international. England won.

Repeat after me:

Miserable failure.

Just finished listening to an interesting half-hour interview with Bob Woolmer on the BBC World Service. It's available online until next Saturday (the 27th).

Just about everything I have to say about Tuesday night's Twenty20 international at the SCG was said one year ago after the Australia v South Africa game.

Just a few additional observations:

If the game was a sell-out, and the official attendance was 35628, then that's about 11000 members who didn't turn up!

If we didn't know before, we do now. Australia's 5-0 drubbing of England in 2006-07 is the first such triumph since 1920-21. But which was the bigger achievement?

Consider these names among the 1920-21 Englishmen: Jack Hobbs, Wilfred Rhodes, Frank Woolley are three of England's greatest ever. Also appeared in that series: Patsy Hendren, Percy Fender, Johnny Douglas, Herbert Strudwick, Jack Hearne, Harry Makepeace, CAG "Jack" Russell, John Hitch, Abe Waddington, Cecil Parkin, Harry Howell, Rockley Wilson, and of course, Arthur Dolphin. An astute captain in JWHT Douglas, some very fine batsmen, but seriously lacking in strike bowlers.

"The performance in the Ashes series has been a great disappointment and a number of lessons must be learned. This review will be comprehensive and broad ranging with the clear objective of regaining the Ashes in 2009 and significantly improving England's results in one-day international cricket in the next four year cycle."

- ECB chief executive David Collier, 5.1.07

So there you have it. The England and Wales Cricket Board announced yesterday that they will arrange a board meeting to discuss the process for forming the composition of a review team to examine England's performances over the last few years and [complete this sentence in 25 words or more].

Not since the Harlem Globetrotters last beat the Washington Generals has a foregone sporting conclusion been so rapturously and emotionally received by a sell-out crowd.

All over by lunchtime. Australia 5, England 0. Warne 708, McGrath 563, Langer 7698, Buchanan 68-11-10. Lots to reflect upon and digest, but that will have to wait for this evening.

My final daily votes for the Midwinter-Midwinter, a short day so less votes than normal: Glenn McGrath 2 pts, Brett Lee 1 pt. Shane Warne has won the title for the second and last time with 16 points, six clear of equal runners-up Ricky Pontin