Editorial: Cricket clash a big one but not the last word

Brendon McCullum of New Zealand batting during the ICC Cricket World Cup warm up game between New Zealand v South Africa at Hagley Oval. Photo / Joseph Johnson

Opinion

Transtasman rivalry will rule today but we shouldn’t set too much store by the result.

Without a doubt, today's Cricket World Cup clash between New Zealand and Australia at Eden Park is the match of the event to date.

The two teams are the form sides of the tournament and, at this early stage, appear on course to contest the final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Throw in the long tradition of transtasman rivalry and a lengthy build-up and it is little surprise that the game has been so eagerly anticipated. Perhaps too eagerly.

This is only a pool match. It is far from a winner-takes-all affair and it would be wrong to read too much into the result.

A loss would be far from fatal to the aspirations of either side. Indeed, to at least some degree, it would be sensible for the teams to keep some of their powder dry.

Bigger, more important matches await them even though a boisterous sell-out crowd at Eden Park may obscure this reality.

If the Black Caps are victorious, much will be said of the blow to the Australians' confidence.

It will be surmised that this will be all the greater because the recent dearth of matches between the two sides means some of the Black Caps are relatively unknown.

But this presupposes Australian confidence can be dented. As much is highly unlikely, given both the national character and the knowledge that any future meeting in this event will be on home soil.

Whoever wins, it will be wrong to over-hype the significance. This is the first chapter, not the climax.