Photo / NZME.
The weight of public expectation is a daunting proposition for any sports team. Sometimes, however, it is so well merited that it must be embraced. Such is the case with the Black Caps' Cricket World Cup campaign, which starts today when they take on Sri Lanka at Hagley Oval Christchurch.
The New Zealand players have the opportunity to write the first half of an equation that, if successfully concluded at Twickenham in October, would have New Zealand ruling the international roost in cricket and rugby.
That would be a scarcely believable coup, but it is extremely difficult to visualise a better opportunity, given the circumstances and the current strength of the Black Caps and the All Blacks.
Normally, not too much optimism is attached to the cricketers. A place in the World Cup semifinals has been regarded as the height of their ability and ambition. The present team, captained by Brendon McCullum, inspires much more confidence. Like the best Australian teams, it seems to have most of the bases covered, so much so that New Zealanders have become accustomed to it finding a way to win on most occasions, no matter the degree of difficulty in which it finds itself.
It is not only the calibre of the squad that engenders confidence. There is also the benefit associated with hosting the tournament with Australia. Truly great teams, such as the West Indians who dominated the early Worlds Cups and the Australian sides led by Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting, did not require the luxury of home advantage. But when there is no clearly superior side, it is a more than useful plus.
This was confirmed when the 2011 World Cup was held on the Indian subcontinent. In the semifinals, the Black Caps were the only gate-crashers from outside that region. This heightens the prospect of the most favoured countries - Australia and New Zealand, with South Africa - being semifinalists this time.
There is much cricket to be played before that stage is reached. Rather too much. In total, 49 games will be played in 44 days. Some of them will be less than riveting. The game between Afghanistan and Scotland at Dunedin, for example, will be only for aficionados. Some of the contests will also be ridiculously lop-sided. Cricket governors' desire to cultivate a stronger following for the game worldwide ensures as much. That means significant changes from the format in 1992, when New Zealand and Australia last hosted the Cup.
But any qualms will be swept aside if the Black Caps perform strongly in their opening games. And they will be far from people's minds when New Zealand plays Australia at Eden Park in two weeks. Victory in the corresponding fixture in 1992 propelled the country into a level of excitement not associated with the game before or since.
Replicating that will be no easy matter. Nor should it be. If test matches offer the ultimate examination of players' abilities, there is more than enough pressure in any event carrying the World Cup appellation. The All Blacks discovered as much in struggling to a long-awaited victory in 2011.
Now, it is the Black Caps' turn to respond to the weight of expectation. An extraordinary feat lies in the offing if they come up trumps.