By RICHARD BOOCK at the World Cup
New Zealand's fascination with the fast-moving object is poised to receive another airing tonight when they begin their World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka.
Fresh from a series against India in which they dominated through the pace bowling of Shane Bond, Daryl Tuffey and Jacob
Oram, New Zealand seem likely to continue the ruse at Goodyear Park in what looms as a must-win contest.
Having forfeited the points from the Kenya engagement, New Zealand must win their first and second matches to qualify for the second round.
If recent history is any guide, New Zealand are likely to consider that their best chance against Sri Lanka is to stack the side with pace bowlers and attempt to exploit the Sri Lankans' frailty against the bouncing ball, a plan that paid off when India toured last month.
Bond, Tuffey and Oram, with a little help from Andre Adams, are likely to play prominent roles, and it could even be that the tour selectors opt to rest spinner Daniel Vettori to play their full contingent of pace bowlers.
The only concern in that regard for New Zealand is that Goodyear Park is arguably the flattest pitch in the Republic, meaning that any loose bowling is almost certain to be exploited by a batting line-up that includes Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu, Aravinda de Silva and Russel Arnold.
Sri Lanka performed reasonably well in their World Cup warm-up matches, but occasionally looked uncomfortable against the bouncing ball, something that Stephen Fleming's side will be looking to exploit at the first opportunity.
The only complication surrounds Sri Lanka's final warm-up game at Goodyear Park on Thursday, when the pitch played far slower than usual, prompting the Sri Lankans to use four spinners - Muttiah Muralitharan, Aravinda, Jayasuriya and Arnold.
Whether the entire quartet is used again is anyone's guess, but the selection of Muralitharan is assured, and New Zealand's tactics to combat him will have to be well researched.
The man with 304 international one-day wickets under his belt has proved a destroyer all over the world, and has already had his share of success against New Zealand.
On the other hand, if the pitch does provide some assistance for the Sri Lankan pacemen, they will be well-served by veteran left-armer Chaminda Vaas, and tearaway Dilhara Fernando, who are capable of making life a misery for batsmen.
From New Zealand's point of view, the biggest questions hover over the composition of the bowling attack, and whether they would be better off playing Kyle Mills, Tuffey and Adams, never mind the issue of Vettori.
Tuffey has been in outstanding form in New Zealand, but has a history of struggling abroad, Mills has bowled extremely well this summer and Adams has run hot and cold, and could yet find himself on the sideline.
As for the batting, it seems even more likely that Brendon McCullum will miss the cut for the major games to create enough room in the mid-to-lower-order for Chris Harris, who has returned to the side and looks full of poise.
Fleming and Nathan Astle will open and Craig McMillan will almost certainly follow at No 3, after he beat off the challenge from Mathew Sinclair.
Sri Lanka (from): Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu, Mahela Jayawardne, Kumar Sangakarra, Saravinda de Silva, Russell Arnold, Jehan Mubarak, Avishka Gunawardene, Hashan Tillerakaratne, Muttiahn Murarathian, Chaminda Vaas, Dilhara Fernando, Pulashati Gunaratne, Prabath Nissanka, Charita Buddhika.
New Zealand (from): Stephen Fleming, Nathan Astle, Craig McMillan, Chris Cairns, Scott Styris, Lou Vincent, Chris Harris, Kyle Mills, Andre Adams, Kyle Mills, Daryl Tuffey, Daniel Vettori, Shane Bond, Brendon McCullum, Mathew Sinclair.
Head to head
New Zealand have won only three of their past 10 ODIs against Sri Lanka:
April 14, 2002, Sharjah: Sri Lanka won by 46 runs.
April 9, 2002, Sharjah: New Zealand won by 11 runs.
July 31, 2001, Colombo: Sri Lanka won by 106 runs.
July 25, 2001, Colombo: Sri Lanka won by 5 wickets.
July 18, 2001, Colombo: Sri Lanka won by 16 runs.
April 17, 2001, Sharjah: New Zealand won by 79 runs.
April 10, 2001, Sharjah: Sri Lanka won by 106 runs.
Feb 11, 2001, Christchurch: New Zealand won by 13 runs.
Feb 8, 2001, Hamilton: Sri Lanka won by 3 runs.
Feb 6, 2001, Auckland: Sri Lanka won by 9 wickets.
Total matches 52, New Zealand 27 wins, Sri Lanka 22 wins, ties/no results 3.
World Cup schedule
Points table
By RICHARD BOOCK at the World Cup
New Zealand's fascination with the fast-moving object is poised to receive another airing tonight when they begin their World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka.
Fresh from a series against India in which they dominated through the pace bowling of Shane Bond, Daryl Tuffey and Jacob
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