The Black Caps aren't among the favourites in India. Photo / Getty Images
The Black Caps aren't among the favourites in India. Photo / Getty Images
OPINION
Kris Shannon outlines five reasons why the Black Caps are once again World Cup contenders.
1. Tournament team
Every couple of years the world’s best men’s cricketers meet, print the name of their country in all caps across their favourite coloured shirts, and compete for a shiny prize. Andevery couple of years the Black Caps come within a win or two of glory.
At least that’s how it’s been for a decade now, Kane Williamson’s side reaching the semifinals of the last five limited-overs world tournaments while making three finals.
Such consistency has counted for only so much, collecting no trophies from those five knockout trips. But it is unmatched and can continue in India, where on Thursday the Black Caps begin the tournament against England, an encounter with no recent ODI World Cup history worth noting.
While New Zealand aren’t among the favourites, they do boast plenty of tournament know-how. Yes, a cynic can argue they know how to not quite win, but it’s inarguable they also know how to navigate unforgiving formats and outlast a lot of opponents.
2. They’re fit-ish
Kane Williamson and Tim Southee will be playing at a fourth ODI World Cup, having made their bow the last time India hosted in 2011. If it weren’t for a bit of injury luck/superhuman powers that must be studied by medical science, both could easily have been missing.
Williamson’s return to India is especially surprising given how his last trip ended, carried from the field after an attempted catch reaped a torn ACL in the IPL.
The anterior cruciate ligament is among sport fans’ least favourite ligaments. If an athlete is seen crumpling to the ground clutching a knee after suffering no contact, they are often not seen again for nine months.
Williamson was back stroking boundaries just short of six months since his tear, proving apparently he’s really good at rehabilitation too.
Southee, meanwhile, fractured the thumb on his bowling hand less than three weeks ago, also while attempting a catch (catches…cause scratches? Is that anything?) But the quick addition of five pins left the paceman raising a repaired hand for selection to face England, a match Williamson will miss.
The old boys’ rapid recoveries mean the Black Caps are at full strength but for Michael Bracewell, his Achilles allowing no similar miracles.
3. Opposition in a spin
Bracewell’s absence is a blow given the qualities he’s displayed — absolute destruction with the bat, occasional deception with the ball — will be particularly valuable the next six weeks.
But thankfully for the Black Caps’ chances in the subcontinent, there are many more who can swing a big bat and send down tweakers of varying quality.
Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi will be difficult to displace as frontline options, but in spin-friendly conditions the part-timers club has an open-door policy.
Sitting comfortably at a table in that club is Williamson, his offbreak last broken out in an ODI at the last World Cup. Mark Chapman is shifting uneasily back and forth, four T20I wickets and zero ODI overs under his belt, unsure whether he belongs.
And who’s that dominating the dance floor? That looks like Glenn Phillips showing off his six ODI scalps, all eyes on a budding allrounder who took the new ball against Pakistan in Hyderabad (7-0-50-0).
Glenn Phillips has been rolling the arm over in the warm-up games. Photo / Getty Images
4. Local knowledge
It would be reductive to suggest that because they have Indian backgrounds, Ravindra and Sodhi bring to the team invaluable insight. So I’ll be reductive in a different, less problematic way and suggest that because they’ve been to India, many foreign players will be the ones boasting local knowledge.
Much maligned for its taketh-away element, the Indian Premier League does occasionally contribute to the giveth category, with more than half of New Zealand’s 15-man squad heading to the World Cup with IPL experience.
Sure, that experience can range from sitting on the sidelines to suffering potentially devastating injury, but it still counts. The crowds at this tournament — like any good trip to India — promise a sensory overload, and familiarity will only help. Hopefully IPL organisers never made the mistake of also inviting our enemies to the party.
5. Big dogs bite each other
There is one side who know all about playing in India: India. The hosts are justifiable favourites, a stacked team complemented by the feverish home support that roared them to the top of the world in 2011.
England are, regrettably, defending champions and will take some dethroning after twisting Ben Stokes’ arm to emerge from retirement and supercharge an electric batting group.
Then there’s Australia, who are still Australia and liable to do Australia things whenever a major prize is available.
But beyond that trio, no one frets about facing South Africa at a Cricket World Cup, while Pakistan winning a tournament in India is probably impermissible.
The Black Caps’ recent run of final-four berths is built on winning the games they should and enjoying enough good days in the rest. In a neat format in which each nation plays nine games, New Zealand will beat the four ranked below them and watch the big dogs take a few bites out of one another, scampering quietly into another semifinal.
What happens then is anyone’s guess. My guess? They lose the final despite scoring the same number of runs as the winners.
