WELLINGTON, March 19: England paceman Andy Caddick rates New Zealand a “bits-and-pieces” cricket team.

He may be Kiwi-born, but that’s as far as it goes for the 33-year-old bowler, who captured 6-122 in the second innings to spearhead the tourists to victory over New Zealand last week.

Speaking ahead of the Basin Reserve Test starting Thursday, Caddick could not be bothered with niceties and dug in a few short-pitched verbal deliveries at the Kiwis.

“They sledge us, we sledge them. What’s new?” he said Tuesday. “I’ve been around cricket a while, as has (Kiwi captain) Stephen Fleming. He’ll back his players an I’ll back my team-mates.

“I still do feel as a side we’re slightly better than they are. They have a good team atmosphere that will be tested in these next two games.

“They had a good series in England (in 1999). They did well. They were a bits-and-pieces side at that stage with a couple of world-class players, and they’re still that way now.

“I’ll say it every time we play New Zealand. They weren’t harsh comments. They were simple facts that I thought we had a better side.” —AFP