If you can't say something nice then don't say anything at all.

We've all heard that saying before and if it was applied to the Black Caps recent test in Perth, then this would be a very short column. In fact there's so very very little that could be called anything like nice from those four days, perhaps better if we already leave that debacle behind and focus only on what's still to come starting with Boxing day at the MCG.

Debate about the wisdom of playing a pink baller over there first up with no warm up match will continue, as it should, but neither should that one match define either this team or the series.

Our numbers from the first test make for truly awful reading - and don't even start me on the hapless Raval or the fact that on that wicket Santner couldn't buy one. Because it's not about individuals when the whole team gets pantsed like that (Southee & Wagner's excellent efforts with the ball not withstanding).

What we have is two chances left to put it right and for the morale of our side, simply vital now we do just that. And we can. We have to play better and we also have to believe that we will. Because, quite bluntly, we can't play any worse.

Just to remind you of the horror show it was:

- We lost by 296 runs, one of our five worst ever defeats.

- And just one run shy of the biggest spanking ever from Australia.

- They took 20 wickets in 105 overs after also having lost a frontline seamer early in the game to injury.

- We were bowled out twice under 200.

- Apart from 80 by Taylor in the first innings, none of our batsmen looked comfortable.

- Mind you when, if ever, have any of our blokes ever really handled Mitchell Starc well?

- Or Nathan Lyon for that matter?

And now onto Melbourne. Where we need to forget all the historical hype and hoopla surrounding this match and do nothing but turn up and play. Like we can. Like we (meaning our players) know we can. Because that is the one and only antidote to Perth. We win this one and that four day nightmare will be very quickly forgotten. That's as nude as it gets.

Win the test and tie the series. Yes we are capable and yes we really have no choice.

It's all about the deeds come Boxing Day. Everything else is just words. And right now there's only one of those that counts - Perth.