Cricket: NZ are World Cup favourites - de Villiers

One of his senior team mates called New Zealand a dark horse for the World Cup early next year.

However South African skipper AB de Villiers took a different tack at his tour opening press conference in Auckland today.

''I'd call them one of the favourites," he said, in contrast to senior fast bowler Dale Steyn's view.

''We know what they're capable of, and especially in these kind of conditions. They must be very motivated to do well."

South Africa are in New Zealand for a three-game ODI series, starting in Mt Maunganui on Tuesday.

Although the South African Cup squad hasn't been named, de Villiers was reluctant to call this tour a trial for players in his group.

''I wouldn't like the guys to think that way," he said.

''I'm not saying this 15 will be the final 15 but they're definitely good enough to be the World Cup squad.

''No one is ever irreplaceable. All 15 know they've got to perform to stay in the side, and it's the same message for the guys back home. It's not over yet, there could still be a place up for grabs."

The tour is an opportunity to give new tourists to New Zealand a feel of the conditions with the cup in mind, but paramount for de Villiers is he wants victories.

South Africa won all three ODIs on their last trip in 2012, but the most recent series between the countries went New Zealand's way early last year in the republic.

And de Villiers gave veteran New Zealand spinner Dan Vettori a big thumbs up on the day of his return to cricket, against Scotland for a New Zealand XI in Lincoln. He's spent time with New Zealand's finest spinner at the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League and rates the 35-year-old highly.

Injuries have played havoc over the last couple of years but de Villiers made his views on Vettori plain.

''I'd feel very confident if I was a New Zealander having him in my side," de Villiers said.
''He's got the world's best batters out before and from a captaincy point of view it's always nice to have guy like that. I think it's a great time to get him in the side."

De Villiers, 30, has played 168 ODIs, averaging 50.22 with 18 centuries. Forty nine of those games have been as captain, in which he averages an outstanding 62.69.

South AFrica arrived in the early hours today and are flying to Tauranga. The secone game in the series is on Friday next week with the final match in Hamilton three days later.