New Zealand v England: Andy Flower blames bowlers' inability to swing the ball for poor series They were outdone on the conventional method, which requires good technique and fingertip control not only in the way the seam is angled but also the way it revolves, backwards. It is a tricky business, which is why some days bowlers can hoop it round corners and on others they cannot get it off the straight - which is what happened to James Anderson for much of this series. Reverse swing requires less technique, but more know-how in preparing the ball. It takes at least 15 overs to get the ball in the right state for reverse, though it can take much longer - the ball needs to become rough and pitted on one side through wear - in places like New Zealand where outfields are lush and drop-in pitches mean there is no square with bare pitch ends to accelerate the necessary wear and tear. England's other problem was that the bowlers had a plan to bang the ball in at New Zealand's top-order batsmen, with a view to using reverse swing later on. The trouble was that the first tactic worked only sporadically and the second rarely materialised while the opposition were still vulnerable. When they did pitch the ball up to try for conventional swing, as in New Zealand's second innings in Auckland, it did not move and England got belted around by Peter Fulton and Brendon McCullum. Because of the ability of Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner to bend the ball in the air, Flower did not attach much culpability to England's batsmen for the series stalemate. They did outscore New Zealand five to three in centuries made, although the home side outdid them on half-centuries, seven to six. Yet it was their two first-innings collapses, for 167 in Dunedin and 204 in the last Test in Auckland, that put the series in jeopardy. The latter came in a flurry of lbws against the swinging ball, which suggests that either techniques were faulty or shot selection was naïve. "Skilful swing bowling is always going to take wickets and our guys are always looking how to combat that," Flower said. Growing up in England they are pretty good at it. You are always at an advantage with left-arm swing bowlers in your side, bringing the ball into right-handers" pads [a reference to Boult and Wagner]. Southee was excellent, too. It was tricky swing bowling to face. Another area where England were outplayed was in the captaincy, though that is understandable given Alastair Cook's relative callowness in the role. If he excelled in India, with bat and tactics, especially in his husbandry of using two spinners, he was outdone more than a few times here by the savvy McCullum. Cook's lack of a third slip to BJ Watling in the second Test in Wellington when he first came in, cost vital runs, the keeper going on to make 60. But for rain washing out the last day, that might have proved the difference between winning and drawing. "Alastair did a great job in India, which showed his capacity for adaptation and quick learning" Flower said. Out here, part of the challenge for him was that the bowlers weren't moving the ball and he tinkered with fields and tactics, but both were well answered by the New Zealand batsmen. But we have all learnt from this tour and Alastair will be no different - he is a young man learning the art of captaincy. Flower would not be drawn on Australia's current plight and their 4-0 defeat in India, except to say that "it is a hard place to tour." He knows, though, that however much Australia appear in disarray, England, who play New Zealand again in six weeks" time before the Ashes, will have to be much better than they were here to beat either. There was no complacency in our camp. We realise we weren't good enough here to win this series and we will have to be more skilful than we were here to have a great summer.