New Zealand's completeness, England's woes and umpiring decisions dominated English newspaper coverage of yesterday's record 155-run victory by New Zealand in the second of the National Bank Series matches in Wellington.

And while the umpiring decisions might have been worth more space in a closer game, the greater problem at the moment appears to be England's ability to get back up to be competitive with New Zealand, starting on Wednesday in Napier.

A sampling of the opinions follows:

The Sunday Times: "Stephen Fleming and his New Zealand players performed a lap of honour for a crowd of 25,000 in the Westpac Stadium in Wellington yesterday, after giving an almost faultless exhibition in the second one-day international. England could only look on from their dressing room in wonder and embarrassment.

"Save for modestly spirited allround cricket from Andrew Flintoff, England's display was without redeeming feature.

"The bare facts tell their own excruciating tale: England's total of 89 was their second-lowest in 344 ODIs, and five of yesterday's culprits were party to the worst score — 86 against Australia at Old Trafford last year — which also occurred under floodlights.

"Apart from, on this evidence, being unable to bat, bowl or field, England have a problem chasing under lights, this being their eighth successive defeat in such circumstances. If they lose the toss on Wednesday in Napier — where they must win to keep the five-match series alive — the day-nightmare may well continue. McLean Park's lights are said to have all the luminosity of a Victorian street lamp."

The Sunday Telegraph: "Opening bowlers Daryl Tuffey and Andre Adams were made to look like world-beaters and then New Zealand's battery of medium-pacers, including Nathan Astle and Chris Harris, the latter playing in his 200th match, put a stranglehold on England.

"Humiliation was complete when the theme tune to Dad's Army blared out and a banner was unfurled asking, "Are you Bangladesh in disguise?"

"Disaster is an overused word, of course, and, as [England captain Nasser] Hussain says, two consecutive defeats do not make his team a poor one. They showed in India they can fight back and they have not lost this series yet. But they must win in Napier on Wednesday.

"Stephen Fleming's side took a lot of flak for their poor showing in the finals of the VB Series against South Africa but reaching the latter stages at the expense of world champions Australia was a feat in itself. And it is the vibrant fielding that really stands out, allowing England no let-up."

The Observer: "England were quite simply blown away by a rampant New Zealand. Doubtless there will be excuses - the pitch was damp, the outfield slow, and the practice facilities were poor because of inclement weather - but this was a dire performance by England, who were dismissed for 89, their second-lowest total in one-day internationals, only just scraping past the 86 at Old Trafford against Australia last summer.

"On a pitch that offered help to all bowlers, the margin of victory was embarrassing as England were given an object lesson in the art of playing positive limited-overs cricket, and now trail 2-0 in the five-match series.

"The weather in Wellington had been poor all week, rain and cloud scudded across the harbour on to a ground that had hosted a rugby sevens tournament last weekend. The pitch was under prepared, there was a reserve day to play the game, and there was a hint that England would have preferred to wait until today.

"If that thought communicated itself to the home team then Stephen Fleming made sure his team were equipped to capitalise on it with a ruthless efficiency."

The Independent on Sunday: "But not only did they not bat well, they fielded badly, dropping three catches and missing a glaring run-out opportunity, and bowled without assertiveness on a surface which ought to have granted them encouragement.

"It is too early to propose what effect such a catastrophic reversal will have on the unquestionable progress that Nasser Hussain's side have made this winter. Hussain has made much of his team's inexperience, but this was the sort of sporting ordeal which will either make them grow up quickly or fade into the obscurity whence they came not long ago. England's middle order has been frail in too many matches recently, and on a sporting pitch in this new stadium it was always likely to be up against it."

© CricInfo