Will New Zealand ever reclaim a place among the top echelon of nations in world cricket?
Based on the summer of 2009-10 it is not going to happen for some time yet.
Cricket fans in New Zealand have become inured to failure by the national side. After taking 26 years to win a Test match that is not surprising. If all else fails you can still appreciate the skills of visiting players.
Fortunately, waiting for Test victories is not such a rare occurrence nowadays.
However, there are only so many times that you can beat Bangladesh before even that novelty wears off.
Daring to even think of beating Australia is to increase the frustration levels.
Of course, there is no reason why that should never cease to be the goal. Who better to pit yourself against than the best in the business?
But New Zealand's last win against the trans-Tasman rival was in 1993, 21 Test matches ago! Stephen Fleming, the country's most capped Test player never played in a winning Test team against Australia. Daniel Vettori is heading the same way.
All is not lost, and realistically in terms of New Zealand cricket history, Test wins tend to be once-in-a-while occurrences, and certainly series wins are something of a once-in-a-generation event.
The beauty of that is being able to play to a high level consistently enough to be able to seize your chance when it comes along.
And that is the worrying thing for New Zealand – there is no feeling that the side could ram home an advantage if the opportunity arose.
Batting strengths are improving, and the qualities that players like Ross Taylor, Martin Guptill, Jesse Ryder and Brendon McCullum possess are enough to suggest that on their days, when more than two of them get in the groove, then runs will flow.
Maintaining a strong opening pair is crucial so as not to require stroke makers to adopt an overly defensive role for the team's good if a sound start is not made.
And then there is the on-going worry, finding a fast bowler or two. It's no coincidence that Richard Hadlee was the king pin when New Zealand recorded a series victory or two over Australia in 1985-86. It was also no coincidence that Australia was at its lowest ebb in modern history.
But the New Zealanders were in position to take advantage of that.
It needs to be that way again, and it must be occupying the minds of cricket's hierarchy how it can reach that goal. If winning times are to be repeated New Zealand Cricket might have to re-institute a coaching structure to match that in use at the Academy at the turn of the century.
If it needs to start somewhere it could look at what Northern Districts is doing right. That seems to be the association doing most to encourage young player development.
However, time isn't for wasting and action needs to start soon.