Geoff Howarth, Glenn Turner, Steve Rixon, former New Zealand coaches all, said it and David Trist is also saying it - New Zealand's cricketers are not good at self-sufficiency, an asset that allows them to adjust to differing circumstances confronting them during the playing of a match.

It's the same sort of criticism levelled at the All Blacks in recent years that they are not capable of changing their match tactics midway through a game.

Yesterday, in the post-match media analysis of New Zealand's humiliating nine-wicket loss to Sri Lanka at Eden Park, and with it the loss of the National Bank series, Trist did not, however, think his team was suffering from paralysis by analysis.

"I think not, we have got to be careful though.

"At the end of the day it is quite a simple game and we have got a debate, I guess, between the style of play that many find natural and a need to adapt in certain circumstances.

"I think that is the real issue - the ability to adapt to conditions and where they find themselves in a game.

"There are some players I don't believe are exhibiting, or utilising, the ability they possess as quickly as they need to.

"We really are caught now with the responsibility falling on several of these players," he said.

That responsibility is not being borne willingly if the dismissals in yesterday's are anything to go by.

However, the national selection panel of Sir Richard Hadlee, Ross Dykes, Brian McKechnie and Trist, are sticking by their chosen players, as Hadlee explained.

He said the same 13 in Auckland, would travel to Hamilton tomorrow to play on Thursday. If Roger Twose is fit, and the indications are positive, then Mathew Sinclair will drop out of the 12 for the game. If not then captain Stephen Fleming will probably open the innings with Lou Vincent batting at No 3.

There would be a bowling change with Daryl Tuffey in the side, but it had not been determined who would be left out.

"We can't over-react, we can't panic," Hadlee said.

"We have faith and trust in the players we have selected.

"We have had the same problems now for about six months, we've had a lot of injury problems and we are not hiding behind that or making excuses because, we have still given experienced players a fair opportunity and given some young players an opportunity. Clearly we're not happy with the results and if we need to make further changes we will consider that but we do not have many options at the moment."

Hadlee asked if the selectors slashed the side and dropped six players who would be the six brought in?

"If you look at the standard of Shell Cup and Shell Trophy cricket at the moment, with four day games being over in two days and the average score in the Shell Cup final is round about 170-175, clearly there are a lot of batting issues in this country," he said.

There were one or two players like Mark Richardson and Matthew Bell knocking at the door but they were not necessarily the solution to the problem.

"We're not getting off to quick and efficient starts. Quite clearly there are some technical issues. Shot selection and decision making. A lot of big shots are being tried to be played, a lot of shots are hit firmly to fielders. I don't think we're finding enough gaps, picking up the singles and rotating the strike as often as we should be," he said.

Trist said that there was a lack of confidence because of the issues now facing the players, including building media pressure, the team results, and players were undecided as a result about how to play the game.

"Our batting at the top hasn't been as positive as it has in the past and we are succumbing to that pressure and we have to do better in the next two games because we do not want to see a whitewash!" he said.

© CricInfo