Dylan Cleaver: Crunch time for Black Caps

COMMENT

Cricketer's have developed a habit in recent times of trying to convince the public this most eccentric of individual sports is actually a team game.

Their most flagrant method is by matching themselves up against their 'opposite numbers'.

It's a policy Australia adopted in the 90s whereby they figured if they paired themselves against someone in a similar role in the opposition, as long as six or seven of them came up trumps in series' averages and aggregates, they were almost certain to win.

As hopelessly hypothetical as the concept is - I mean, you can't actually get Stephen Fleming and Ricky Ponting trying to out-bat each other at the same time - it is an exercise the Black Caps will no doubt be indulging in when the two teams meet.

While the odds look stacked against New Zealand, especially given the depletion of their bowling stocks, there are battles to be won.

So enjoy the matchups.