Adam Parore: Shock, not horror, only we can beat those Aussies

New Zealand's win over South Africa this week caught me by surprise - but reinforced my thinking that provided they can win through to the Super Six, they are the only team at the World Cup capable of beating Australia.

Australia deserve to be the favourites. They have too much horsepower for the other teams and are strong in all aspects of the one-day game.

Before the tournament, I thought we would struggle to beat South Africa given our record against them. But the way the guys played gives me some confidence we can take on Australia if we get through, and that won't be easy.

We have the advantage of having knocked the Australians out of their own one-day series just last year. But before we contemplate such a match, we have to keep winning.

I would not be looking to make changes.

Stephen Fleming's innings was just what he, and we, needed. I have not seen him play that well for a long time.

The top order batting has dogged New Zealand for years.

There was a concern that in having Fleming and Nathan Astle opening we exposed our two best batsmen to the new ball with little cover if they went early.

But in dropping Astle to No 3 and having Chris Cairns and Scott Styris in the middle order there is now that cover.

Fleming just needs to go out and hit the ball as he did so well against the South Africans. He has forgotten how good a cricketer he is. That was a significant innings for him. It was a direct contrast to the way he plays test cricket, where he seems to have lost some of his flamboyancy. He can match the world's top order batsmen stroke for stroke.

With Fleming, Craig McMillan and Astle to lead the way, I don't see any need to experiment with Daniel Vettori in that role again. I favour going with specialist batsmen at the top, especially against a new white ball and at night.

It's not easy to go out and crash it around when you are facing the best 12 new-ball bowlers in the world. Trying to score a run-a-ball or better against these guys is not easy.

Make no mistake, Vettori can bat. But his value comes at the other end of the order where 10 runs from 10 balls at No 10 can make a difference. The batting order is relative to the other options you have.

New Zealand's problems have been at the top of the order. The key issue has been getting to 75 or more from the openers. Too often that hasn't happened and is the reason why New Zealand are sitting in the middle of the world's one-day rankings.

The teams who win make big scores. If you score 250 or more nine times out of 10 you are likely to win. New Zealand don't do that enough. That's why their record is no better than 50-50.

On the same issue, I would not be looking to tamper with the bowling order. I don't see any need to do what we did in 1992, when Dipak Patel was used as a surprise weapon in opening the bowling.

The bowling does not concern me. We should attack and look to bowl sides out.

Of the controversy over the game in Kenya, I was pleased to see the stance New Zealand Cricket's chief executive Martin Snedden took.

It would be absurd to consider going to Kenya after what happened in Pakistan.

Snedden is smart enough to know he can't put his players at risk.

Commonsense prevailed.

Things were bad enough before September 11. That changed everything.

There are a number of different cultures and fanatics involved and it is impossible to defend against it.

I don't think you should be forced to play in places such as Pakistan, India, and parts of Africa. They are unstable.

If you keep going to these places, eventually you are going to get caught and it is sad cricket is played in so many places that are under risk.

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