New Zealand have played good cricket for years.

And I think they will rise to the occasion in this two-Test series against Australia – which starts at Basin Reserve in Wellington on Friday – as Brendon McCullum says goodbye to international cricket.

I don’t know him but people who do say he makes them walk taller. He’s an excellent captain and has had a huge influence on New Zealand cricket with his aggressive style.

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These two Tests will be all about him and I think his players will do it for him.

In fact, I think they will catch us with our pants down.

Brendon McCullum has been a New Zealand mainstay for a long time. Photo: Getty

We certainly didn’t cut the mustard in the one-day series.

We should have won the third one-day match and were cruising in our run-chase but we didn’t win – and that was disappointing. Throughout the series, our batting simply wasn’t up to scratch.

Unlike in Australia, stupid amounts of runs aren’t scored over there.

Usman Khawaja is in great form and everyone will be watching him closely. He needs to play well in the Tests.

I don’t think the conditions will suit David Warner, though.

Victorian Siddle will have a key role to play. Photo: Getty

Over there, the ball doesn’t come onto the bat as well and, as a result, he won’t be able to bat like he does in Australia. He’ll be caught behind the wicket if he keeps going hard at the ball.

I rate him similarly to Matthew Hayden – he’s the same ilk of player – but I just can’t see him scoring big runs over there. If he does, he’ll rightly be considered as an out-and-out superstar.

Warner can also play a key role in silencing the crowds.

I hope the Kiwi fans give it to the Aussies – in fact I’d be very disappointed if they didn’t. We’d do the same. But guys like Warner and Steve Smith can keep them quiet if they’re scoring big runs.

But I’m not sure our bowling will quieten them.

In Josh Hazlewood, James Pattinson and Peter Siddle, we have a pretty good attack, but we are missing Mitchell Starc – and he is our absolute strike bowler.

A lot depends on how Siddle performs. The conditions will suit his accurate bowling and for me, he is the key for Australia.

Mitchell Marsh could also play an important role with the ball.

We’ve been waiting for him to break out and he’s been in outstanding form over the last six weeks or so. He’ll be confident in his ability now and I think he’ll bowl well.

Having said all that, New Zealand will be very tough to beat at home.

They gave us a run for our money in Australia after the one-sided first Test last year and were very competitive following that.

I’m concerned about our batting and although both sides haven’t had much red-ball preparation in the lead-up to the series, given the one-day commitments, New Zealand are used to their conditions.

We aren’t. We haven’t played a Test there since 2010 – and that’s simply a disgrace and not good enough.

New Zealand play well in Wellington and it suits them that the series starts there.

I think they’ll win – and they’ll do it for McCullum. It could be a tough couple of weeks for Australia.