"New Zealanders in further disarray" the Australians trumpet.

It seems that the fact that New Zealand's players are still getting their first exposure to cricket for the summer has escaped those critics who have poured scorn upon their efforts in Australia.

Let's just remember a few points.

This side would, under the planned circumstances, still be en route for Australia from Pakistan at this time.

They would have had a three-Test series and three One-Day Internationals under their belts.

They would, in all likelihood, have also had a fully fit Daniel Vettori.

They haven't. None of the above have happened.

So before the onset of the official part of New Zealand's tour, next Friday in Brisbane, it is worth recalling these facts.

It is also worth noting that New Zealand has gone to Australia knowing full well the job ahead of it. The Australians are after all the world champions.

They have never needed to be world champions to rate themselves as better cricketers than New Zealanders.

So writing off the Kiwis is a bit like shooting ducks on the water, they don't really have a chance. It is an easy killing.

When teams have been on the losing side as often as New Zealand have been, they earn a healthy respect for their rivals. Unlike the All Blacks, who until recently in their history, demanded the greatest of respect from any team they went onto the field against, New Zealand's cricketers have had to operate from a much smaller population base.

They know they are up against it whenever they go onto the field.

But in a season when New Zealanders are being blamed for the collapse of Ansett Airways, not contributing enough to the Afghanistan campaign, for taking Afghan refugees and just about anything else that involves points scoring in the Australian election campaign, the cricket side's critics should remember that despite a fair amount of denial of New Zealand cricket's existence over the years, the Kiwi dog has bitten Australia occasionally.

Some of the most glorious incidents have been made all the more satisfying to New Zealanders because they have occurred when Australians have least expected it.

Granted the start of the tour has not been impressive. But every ball bowled, every ball faced and every ball fielded is still preparation for New Zealand before the forthcoming Test series.

This side has been through too much, for too long, not to value the opportunity provided by this year's tour against the greatest rivals, the greatest team, they will probably face in their careers.

But critics should also remember, that if they think being flogged all around Australian grounds is enough to warrant disarray, they are well short of the mark.

Last year New Zealand Cricket alone helped the profit margins of South African Airways considerably by transporting players to and from the republic during one of the greatest injury calamities in Kiwi history. Now, that was disarray.

That was the same disarray which saw a fledgling Kiwi attack inflict the greatest loss on Pakistan in Pakistan's cricket history.

Things mightn't look pretty at the moment, but the ball game is not over yet.

It hasn't even started!

© CricInfo