New Zealand's choice to bowl first didn't go according to plan on a rather benign pitch, as centuries from Nick Compton and Jonathan Trott brought England the promise of a big score on day one of the second Test at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.
Tourists second from the top of the ICC Test rankings will lock horns with hosts second from the bottom again, but the gap - five positions on paper - is apparently less vast.
Spinners Marlon Samuels and Shane Shillingford's collective seven-wicket haul reduced Zimbabwe to a substandard 211 all out, before two key breakthroughs from seamer Kyle Jarvis initiated an early West Indian wobble - on day one of the first Test in Barbados on Tuesday.
The West Indies have the chance to extend a four-Test winning streak that started almost a year ago, while Zimbabwe have a point to prove - to their administration - in the absence of batting coach Grant Flower and bowling mentor Heath Streak.
Captains Angelo Mathews and Mushfiqur Rahim selected entertaining highlights from an otherwise dull fixture, after Sri Lanka and Bangladesh's first Test ended in a draw at the Galle International Stadium on Tuesday.
Centuries for opener Tillakaratne Dilshan and former captain Kumar Sangakkara marked the closing throes of Sri Lanka's drawn first Test on day five at the Galle International Stadium on Tuesday.
Captain Mushfiqur Rahim became the first Bangladeshi to score a Test century, as the series opener against Sri Lanka meandered toward a draw at the Galle International Stadium on Monday.
A maiden half-century from nightwatchman Steven Finn took the fore for England on Sunday, as the first Test at the University Oval in Dunedin ended in a draw.
Big centuries from captain Mushfiqur Rahim and former skipper Mohammad Ashraful carried Bangladesh to 438 for four - and a deficit of just 132 - in reply to Sri Lanka's first-innings score of 570 for four declared on day three of the first Test at the Galle International Stadium on Sunday.
Bangladesh endured a difficult second day of the first Test in Galle, spending a tricky time in the field before batting to 135 for two at stumps, still 435 runs behind the Sri Lankan first innings score.
England openers Alastair Cook and Nick Compton each scored centuries, the latter unbeaten, to make sure they were still in the hunt at stumps on day four of the first Test against New Zealand.
An outstanding century from veteran batsman Kumar Sangakkara was the driving force behind Sri Lanka's dominance on day one of the first Test against Bangladesh at the Galle International Stadium on Friday.
Opening batsman Hamish Rutherford struck a big century on debut, as New Zealand assumed command - thanks largely to a hefty 235-run lead - on day three of the first Test against England at the University Oval in Dunedin on Friday.
England and New Zealand haven't faced each other in a Test match since June 2008, and England have the lion's share of wins in the records, but the Black Caps aren't certain of losing this series, as some may expect.
Under new captain Angelo Mathews, minus middle-order stalwarts Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera, and hot on the heels of an awkward contract dispute, Sri Lanka tackle a Bangladesh unit lined with similar off-field interference.
England were dismissed for a paltry 167 before an unbeaten first-wicket alliance carried New Zealand to 131 without loss - and a mere deficit of 36 - on day two of the first Test at the University Oval in Dunedin on Thursday.
Day one of the first Test - in the three-match series - between New Zealand and England at the University Oval in Dunedin was washed out without a ball bowled on Tuesday.
Afghanistan secured a 27-run win - and one-nil lead in their two-match series against Scotland - in Sunday's first Twenty20 International at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
A characteristically brisk innings from all-rounder Kieron Pollard and three key wickets from spinner Samuel Badree carried the West Indies to a comfortable 41-run win.
Opener Lendl Simmons' brisk half-century followed fast bowler Tino Best's three key wickets, as the West Indies beat Zimbabwe by eight wickets in Saturday's first Twenty20 International at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua.
New Zealand's confidence got a strong boost ahead of the Test series against England, when an XI featuring a number of first team players beat the visitors by three wickets in a warm up match in Queenstown.
The World Twenty20 champions will host the ICC T20I rankings' bottomfeeders for back-to-back fixtures this weekend, with the possibility of revenge contrasting the need for defiance.
The uncapped Hamish Rutherford offered the national selectors food for thought on day two of the New Zealand XI's tour fixture against England in Queenstown on Thursday.
The West Indies wrapped up a 3-0 series whitewash over Zimbabwe by winning the final one dayer in Grenada by five wickets, thanks to a steady unbeaten half century by Darren Bravo.
