New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori believes the fixture schedule can help his side level their Test series with England after a deflating six-wicket defeat here at Old Trafford.
This clash followed on just days after the drawn first Test at Lord's. But the final match of this three-Test series doesn't get underway until June 5 at Trent Bridge.
Between now and then New Zealand have a three-day tour match against Northamptonshire, starting on Friday.
Vettori hopes this will give his side a chance to lick their wounds whilst allowing the likes of middle-order batsman Daniel Flynn, who played no further part at Old Trafford after being hit on the head by a James Anderson bouncer on the first day, an opportunity for time in the middle.
"We are lucky we do have that warm-up game," Vettori told reporters after England had won a match which New Zealand dominated early on with more than a day to spare.
"If we rolled straight round into a Test match three days later than there would be some guys who were still reeling from this loss. Hopefully, that warm-up game is a chance to get a few things out of the system.
"Then we can come to Trent Bridge thinking we can square the series. That will still be a good result for us," said Vettori, whose side were beaten 2-1 in a Test campaign by England in New Zealand in March.
The Black Caps had initially been hopeful that Flynn would be able to bat again. But bouts of nausea and illness kept the 23-year-old Northern Districts left-hander out of the firing line.
"He hasn't been in a great space the last couple of days. He wants to bat but it just wasn't a good idea," said Vettori.
"He's got some cosmetic surgery to have and, depending on how he recovers from that, it's a great idea for him to get straight back into it."
For much of this match New Zealand, who saw Ross Taylor score a career-best 154 not out in the first innings, looked well-placed to record what would have been only their fifth win in 49 Tests in England.
But a second innings slump, when they were bowled out for just 114 with Vettori's rival left-arm spinner Monty Panesar taking a Test-best six for 37, allowed England back into the game.
Although the hosts' target was an Old Trafford Test record 294 it should have been much greater and England, with opener Andrew Strauss scoring 106, completed their run-chase off the last ball before tea on the fourth day.
Michael Vaughan admitted his side
England captain Michael Vaughan admitted his side were close to being "dead and buried" in the second Test against New Zealand before coming back for a six-wicket win.
Andrew Strauss's hundred was the centrepiece of England's run chase as they reached their victory target of 294 for the loss of four wickets just before tea on the fourth day at Old Trafford here Monday.
But for much of this match England, now 1-0 up in the three-Test series after a draw at Lord's, were outplayed.
It needed left-arm spinner Monty Panesar's career-best haul of six for 37, which saw New Zealand dismissed for just 114 in their second innings, to give England's batsmen a chance of winning the game.
Vaughan, praising a first-wicket stand of 60 in the second innings between Strauss and fellow left-hander Alastair Cook, told reporters: "Chasing 294, the key was the start.
"If we lost early wickets we were going to be dead and buried."
Vaughan, who shared a second-wicket stand of 90 with Strauss as England completed their second highest victory chase on home soil after their 315 for four against Australia at Headingley in 2001, added: "We knew we were chasing the game.
"Monty Panesar's first three or four overs, he was nervous and didn't get his pace right. But then he got on a roll. It's amazing how a game can change."
Strauss, whose Test career had looked like coming to a close during March's tour of New Zealand, was at a loss to explain his return to form.
"It's hard to explain, that mystery thing form. The only way to get it is by scoring runs," Strauss said after his second century in three Tests.
This was Strauss's 12th Test hundred and the Middlesex left-hander said: "It is certainly one of the more satisfying.
"It's not very often you get the chance to get a hundred in the fourth innings. It's special for me, even more special for the team. We were under the pump for two days."
Strauss was dropped for England's pre-Christmas tour of Sri Lanka after a run of low scores.
Although recalled in New Zealand, the31-year-old was still under pressure for his place come the final Test in Napier.
But, after a first innings nought, he scored a Test-best 177 and England went on to win by 121 runs as they clinched the series 2-1.
"There were a couple of technical things I worked on, not trying to hit too early through offside," Strauss said.
Andrew Strauss's hundred was the centrepiece of England's run chase as they reached their victory target of 294 for the loss of four wickets just before tea on the fourth day at Old Trafford here Monday.
But for much of this match England, now 1-0 up in the three-Test series after a draw at Lord's, were outplayed.
It needed left-arm spinner Monty Panesar's career-best haul of six for 37, which saw New Zealand dismissed for just 114 in their second innings, to give England's batsmen a chance of winning the game.
Vaughan, praising a first-wicket stand of 60 in the second innings between Strauss and fellow left-hander Alastair Cook, told reporters: "Chasing 294, the key was the start.
"If we lost early wickets we were going to be dead and buried."
Vaughan, who shared a second-wicket stand of 90 with Strauss as England completed their second highest victory chase on home soil after their 315 for four against Australia at Headingley in 2001, added: "We knew we were chasing the game.
"Monty Panesar's first three or four overs, he was nervous and didn't get his pace right. But then he got on a roll. It's amazing how a game can change."
Strauss, whose Test career had looked like coming to a close during March's tour of New Zealand, was at a loss to explain his return to form.
"It's hard to explain, that mystery thing form. The only way to get it is by scoring runs," Strauss said after his second century in three Tests.
This was Strauss's 12th Test hundred and the Middlesex left-hander said: "It is certainly one of the more satisfying.
"It's not very often you get the chance to get a hundred in the fourth innings. It's special for me, even more special for the team. We were under the pump for two days."
Strauss was dropped for England's pre-Christmas tour of Sri Lanka after a run of low scores.
Although recalled in New Zealand, the31-year-old was still under pressure for his place come the final Test in Napier.
But, after a first innings nought, he scored a Test-best 177 and England went on to win by 121 runs as they clinched the series 2-1.
"There were a couple of technical things I worked on, not trying to hit too early through offside," Strauss said.
Aussies fallible, says Dyson
Australia beat West Indies in the opening Test of their three-match series on Monday but West Indies coach John Dyson said his side had learnt the visitors were fallible.
Top in Tests and world champions in the one-day game, Australia have dominated international cricket for the last decade but Dyson, an Australian himself, said his team's battling display showed there were chinks in their opponents' armour.
"It has made us realise that they are human, they are not superhuman. They are just human and they can falter.
"If we can apply enough pressure at the right times and continue doing the good things that we can do, they might falter just enough to give us that opening," said Dyson whose team had the tourists shaking at 18 for five in the second innings.
West Indies, who have suffered a decade of decline, showed, particularly with their bowling and fielding that they were an improving side, albeit one whose batting was not yet sturdy enough.
"I think we will take away from the game a lot of positive things. That's what we've tried to do since the South Africa tour last year. You can't expect a team to turn around, overnight and consistently win every game," Dyson said.
"We recognise that and that this series is against the strongest unit in the world. I think we have put on a pretty good show in this match. If we can just improve in a couple of areas, we will put on another good show in the second Test in Antigua."
Dyson picked out the pace bowling of Fidel Edwards and Daren Powell as particularly pleasing along with the batting of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who made a century on the third day.
But he demanded that other batsmen, such as Devon Smith and Runako Morton showed the ability to go on from good starts to make big scores and he was disappointed with the failure to make more of the final day's opportunity.
"Obviously I was hoping, hoping for a much stronger start to the day. But they bowled very well. There were only a couple of sessions throughout the Test match that cost us very dearly. That is the thing about Test match cricket, you can't afford to have bad sessions."
Top in Tests and world champions in the one-day game, Australia have dominated international cricket for the last decade but Dyson, an Australian himself, said his team's battling display showed there were chinks in their opponents' armour.
"It has made us realise that they are human, they are not superhuman. They are just human and they can falter.
"If we can apply enough pressure at the right times and continue doing the good things that we can do, they might falter just enough to give us that opening," said Dyson whose team had the tourists shaking at 18 for five in the second innings.
West Indies, who have suffered a decade of decline, showed, particularly with their bowling and fielding that they were an improving side, albeit one whose batting was not yet sturdy enough.
"I think we will take away from the game a lot of positive things. That's what we've tried to do since the South Africa tour last year. You can't expect a team to turn around, overnight and consistently win every game," Dyson said.
"We recognise that and that this series is against the strongest unit in the world. I think we have put on a pretty good show in this match. If we can just improve in a couple of areas, we will put on another good show in the second Test in Antigua."
Dyson picked out the pace bowling of Fidel Edwards and Daren Powell as particularly pleasing along with the batting of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who made a century on the third day.
But he demanded that other batsmen, such as Devon Smith and Runako Morton showed the ability to go on from good starts to make big scores and he was disappointed with the failure to make more of the final day's opportunity.
"Obviously I was hoping, hoping for a much stronger start to the day. But they bowled very well. There were only a couple of sessions throughout the Test match that cost us very dearly. That is the thing about Test match cricket, you can't afford to have bad sessions."
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