Expect a torrent of runs in this World Cup. In the first five games of the tournament, the sides batting first - New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, India and the West Indies - have piled up 300-plus runs.
New Zealand, should they go in first against Scotland at University Ovaltoday, will have their sights on extending that run.
Captain Brendon McCullum says the type of pitches in the two host countries are a significant reason he predicts heavy scoring.
"I think it will continue as the tournament goes on," he said yesterday.
"The wickets in Australia and New Zealand are pure wickets, so it does allow good ball striking and high scores to unfold."
Scotland will have a view on that.
Josh Davey of Scotland celebrates with team mates after taking the wicket of Marlon Samuels of West Indies. Photo / Getty Images
Captain Preston Mommsen understandably took exception to a question about whether he feared, given New Zealand's batting form and the aggressive batsmen in their lineup, that his team could even concede 400 today, if bowling first.
"We came up against one of the best strikers in the world the other day in [West Indian] Chris Gayle and managed to contain him very well. We take a lot of confidence from that so we have absolutely no fear at all."
The muscular batting approach in the game nowadays, combined with the fielding rule change which has trimmed to four the number who can be positioned outside the inner circle for 35 overs of an innings, don't help the bowlers' cause.
McCullum believes it puts the onus on bowlers to attack, which sits nicely with one of New Zealand's bowling philosophies.
"When you're going around the park it can be very easy to give up as a bowler. But 14 off an over could be a good over in the grand scheme.
"You've got to mitigate against those 25, 26 or 27-run overs. The message we keep talking about is 300 is chaseable; 400 isn't."
New Zealand are expected to make changes today, but McCullum was coy yesterday.
His brother Nathan is expected to replace Dan Vettori, while Adam Milne and perhaps either Trent Boult or Tim Southee could sit the game out to keep the other two members of the five-strong seam attack, Kyle Mills and Mitchell McClenaghan, in work.
Mommsen has talked an upbeat game since arriving in a city where the Scots feel closest to home.
They know they must take games "deep" more consistently and while they respect New Zealand's recent form and batting power, he used the old line that they can nick out just like any other batsman.
They watched a video of their one-run loss to New Zealand in a practice game at Lincoln last October for inspiration - "we really should have won that game," Mommsen said, and quite rightly too.
New Zealand swing man Trent Boult has scooped a top contract in this year's Indian Premier League.
Left armer Boult has been signed by the Sunrisers Hyderabad for $814,000 at the IPL auction in Bangalore.
It is Boult's first dip into the Indian T20 domestic competition.
Boult will have his New Zealand, and Northern Districts chum, Kane Williamson with him. Williamson was signed for $128,000.
Allrounder Jimmy Neesham, unwanted for the World Cup, was picked up by the Kolkata Knight Riders and there was a gig for new speedster Adam Milne. Vettori has signed Milne for Bangalore.
Ross Taylor and Luke Ronchi were passed in at the auction.
Bat first. Will the packed University Oval be praying New Zealand bat first against Scotland today? You bet.
Run fests. The runniest of all 10 previous World Cups was in 2011 on the subcontinent, when 19,986 runs were scored in 49 games.
Lucky Oval. New Zealand are unbeaten at University Oval. They've won two and drawn four of their six tests, and won all four ODIs.
NZ v Scotland University Oval, 11am, today.
New Zealand (from): Brendon McCullum (c), Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Grant Elliott, Corey Anderson, Luke Ronchi, Nathan McCullum, Dan Vettori, Tom Latham, Tim Southee, Kyle Mills, Mitchell McClenaghan, Trent Boult, Adam Milne.
