Editorial: Black Caps cap off a World Cup cricket dream

EDITORIAL:

Four years ago, the Black Caps - moulded in the image of swashbuckling captain Brendon McCullum - captivated the Cricket World Cup with their bold style of play.

Undefeated through pool play, buoyed by a frenzied penultimate-ball semifinal victory, no target was too big, and no bowling attack seemed insurmountable.

Erring on the side of attack was the message, and the cricketing gods seemed to respond in kind. Until they didn't.

The Black Caps slumped to a seven-wicket final defeat to Australia, McCullum dismissed without scoring, and the dream was over.

Fast forward to tomorrow night, when Kane Williamson will lead a very different team on to the hallowed Lord's turf, to play hosts England in the final.

This time, the Black Caps barely made it into the playoffs, securing their final semifinal spot via a mathematical tiebreaker, after suffering three successive losses.

Much like his predecessor, Williamson has carried the bulk of the Black Caps run-scoring - but in a much more calculated and sedate manner than McCullum.

The team, too, have had to adapt. With new coach Gary Stead at the helm and arguably slightly less talent on paper, Williamson has had to rely on superior tactics, the bowling brilliance of several individuals, and good old fashioned scrapping - played to perfection in the dramatic semifinal win over a heavily favoured India, since dubbed the Miracle in Manchester.

Williamson's contrasting captaincy, meanwhile, was best evidenced when he barely broke a smile as the final Indian wicket fell. Don't get carried away, there is still work to do.

This is a different team, a different coach, a different captain.

And, just maybe, a different result.