The New Zealand cricket side is having a major impact on the Ashes series.
England captain Alastair Cook has attributed the side's 169-run over Australia in the first Ashes Test in Cardiff to the "feelgood factor" the side is enjoying since Joe Root and Ben Stokes rescued England with a stand of 164 against the Black Caps at Lord's in May.
England went on to win the Test with the two-Test series drawn one-all.
Alastair Cook - the NZ series has set England up well for the Ashes series. Photo: Photosport
"It started off with that partnership between Joe and Ben when we were 30 for four at Lord's against New Zealand and carried on from there in all forms," said Cook.
"The one day series and the Test series against New Zealand was a really good series to play. It was exciting cricket and I think people appreciated the way we tried to go about it so this test match couldn't have gone any better."
Root, who was named player of the match in the Cardiff Test, scored a first innings century to help England post an impressive total of 430, helping the home side to a 122 run lead first innings lead.
Australia were eventually set 412 to win but never looked likely and were all out for 289.
Cook played down the impact of the 5-0 Ashes series loss to Australia last time out.
"Before the game everyone was talking about what had gone on in the past and we can't control that. This is here, this is a different side with different players and we had to look forward. You can't change the past. You can't worry about it," he said.
"You can try and learn from it and I thought the way the guys went about their business in this game, we always tried to take the attacking option, we were always hunting wickets with the ball and we took some good catches too."
Australia captain Michael Clarke says his side will use lessons learnt from their World Cup pool match loss to New Zealand to turn around the Ashes series.
Clarke likened the first up defeat to the loss suffered by Australia during the World Cup in Auckland against the Black Caps, when they lost eight wickets for 26 runs.
Australia will use to the loss to the Black Caps in world cup pool play to resurrect their Ashes series says Michael Clarke (R) Photo: Photosport
"All the boys now are like (they were against) New Zealand losing that match in the one day World Cup.
"It gave us a bit of a kick up the backside and I probably see this game as very similar. It gives us a kick up the backside and we look forward to the second Test."
"Anytime you get outplayed it makes you see and understand what standard you have to get to, to beat your opposition," Clarke said.
The second Test starts at Lord's on Thursday.
