Saying that supporting the Black Caps is like riding a roller-coaster would be a huge understatement. It's actually more like riding an out-of-control rocket.

Sure, they can come alarmingly close to crashing down to earth - but they head for the stars at times, too.

And to the stars they went last night, with their 3-1 ODI series victory over England. Heading into game two of the ODI leg, it would be another understatement to say that New Zealand were on the back foot. They got a whipping in the Test series, were soundly beaten in the 20/20, and then got absolutely hammered in the first One Dayer.

Momentum was with England and, whilst New Zealand were always a chance, the series was there for the taking.

But this is where New Zealand are comfortable - down-and-out, complete underdogs given no chance of victory. And woe-betide the team that underestimates them in that situation.

Which, of course, is exactly what England did. And woe did betide them.

The rain disrupted much of the flow of Game Two but, whilst the game was still well up in the air, New Zealand stole back a lot of the momentum England had amassed during the rest of the tour. We weren't in the majority camp that decided New Zealand would have won given one more over of play, but we do agree that New Zealand were well in it. And that's more than we could say for the 20/20 and first ODI - momentum had definitely swung back towards being even.

Game Three, and New Zealand surprised us. Given the time differences between England and New Zealand, live coverage starts here in New Zealand at about 9:30pm. So, when the lights go off here in the Attic, the games are generally one innings old.

So when the Attic wrapped things up in the 3rd ODI, New Zealand had been bowled out for 182 and the momentum we had wrestled back looked to be gone. Come the morning news, however, and we were wrong - New Zealand (via young Southee) had bowled England out for 160, and had levelled the series 1-1.

Game Four was almost ruined by controversy, with Grant Elliot being (in our humble opinion) ridiculously given out after being injured in a mid-pitch collision with Ryan Sidebottom. Collingwood was given every chance to offer Elliot his wicket back, and chose not to.

Who knows? Maybe justice will come back to haunt him, and he'll get suspended for 4 games due to a pathetically slow over rate. Ha ha.

So Collingwood went, and Game Five came - with Pietersen at the helm. New Zealand scored 266, which was solid but not stunning. England should have backed themselves to chase it, but they didn't even get close. Starts from Bell, Cook and Bopara weren't cashed in on, and Shah couldn't quite turn his solid innings into an excellent one. Skipper Pietersen managed only 6, and in doing so lost Ian Botham a considerable sum of money. We're not actually sure how much he lost - in fact, he may not have lost anything at all. But he might have.

You didn't really think he'd top score with that added pressure did you, Beefy?

England fell for 215, and New Zealand finished their tour with a comfortable 51-run win, and the ODI series trophy.

What an amazing, underdog-style turnaround victory for New Zealand.

But in such a typical manner. At the end of the Test Series, we said that an ODI series victory would not be enough - and we stand by that. We're done with winning One Dayer's, but not being able to transfer those skills to Tests. We're done with the excuse of lacking 'experience' levels. And we're done with finishing the series on a high, but looking back at the Test's with red faces.

What should have happened in this series? Well, the Black Caps should have capitalised on the strong positions they constantly gained in the Tests, and should have won that leg of the tour. They should have won the 20/20, too.

Had they done that, England would have been demolished in the One Dayers, and New Zealand would be flying home with a complete series victory - something that's far to foreign to New Zealand Cricket historians and record keepers.

We love the Black Caps, and we love winning from an underdog position. But New Zealand are not underdogs anymore, and we shouldn't be treated as such. We should be seen as the third or fourth best side in the world, and if we're beaten by teams below that ranking - well, then we've failed. New Zealand's Test ranking has to come up to where they sit on the ODI table - or at least close to that. 7th is well below par, and for a team that consistently has the goods for 50 overs...

It's time for a new coach. There's no other explanation, and we believe that until Bracewell goes, this one-sided, unbalanced trend will continue.

Damn good turn-around though, lads. Damn good.