Baz: Ashes a completely different challenge for us

BRENDON McCullum insisted England’s misfiring batsmen have not been scarred for the upcoming Ashes following a 3-0 one-day international series whitewash defeat by New Zealand.

- DAVID CHARLESWORTH

England’s top three of Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett and Joe Root made a combined 58 runs in the series and the trio were all dismissed for single figures in the two-wicket defeat in Saturday's Wellington dead rubber.

Unless injury strikes, they will be in England's team for the first Test against Australia on November 21 in Perth and they have just one warm-up - a three-day affair against England Lions - to find form.

McCullum, though, reasoned the time they have spent in the middle and a switch of formats will serve them well after being asked whether his batters head across the Tasman Sea low on confidence.