Kane Williamson, surely, is not human. His brain, surely, does not work like the rest of us, writes Mark Richardson.

The result of tomorrow's game between the Black Caps and Australia doesn't really matter but it's one both sides will be desperate to win.

Modern-day sledging is utterly charmless, simply not funny or clever any more, and is just verbal assault.

Shane Watson has taken a battering at Australian training this afternoon... before he faced a delivery.

It's been 1464 days since the last time the Black Caps played Australia in an ODI match

The game’s most violent batsman is feeling his age but he has defied the odds - and critics - again.

Whichever pairing comes out on top on Saturday at Eden Park will have gone a long way towards setting their side up for victory.

India's vibrant performance in cleaning up South Africa in Melbourne on Sunday night has doubtless rejigged the betting markets for the World Cup, writes David Leggat.

Brendon McCullum's lethal ambush of the England bowlers at the Cake Tin the other day will no doubt have got the attention of the numerous coaching entourages, Tony Blain writes

All the way from Cleckheaton I can hear it. The sound of a nation's growing hope and expectation.

A good weekend opener for the World Cup co-hosts with two of the three favourites showing strong form.

Yesterday's World Cup opener between New Zealand and Sri Lanka was a line-in-the-sand game and the Black Caps delivered through composure and pressure.

This will be my last World Cup, writes Kyle Mills.

This will be the last World Cup until at least 2023 when there will be a significant associate member presence.

I was fortunate enough to play in three World Cups, yet I think the current Black Caps squad would easily dispose of any of those World Cup teams I played in, writes Jacob Oram.

When talk turns to salivating opening-round match-ups, it usually centres on Melbourne, where Australia meets England, or Adelaide, where those great foes India and Pakistan will meet.

New Zealand will know what to expect if, as expected, Lasith Malinga marks out his runup against them in the World Cup opener on Saturday.

With creative and seasoned batsmen, a fine wicketkeeper and classy bowlers, the NZ camp is quietly confident.

It's time to apply some rugby terminology to the cricket World Cup preparations, like thinking in terms of a first XV rather than first XI.

David Leggat writes: Warner is the obnoxious face of Australian cricket's ugly mob, a man with a take-no-backward-step-to-anyone mentality with his chest puffed out.

Time to change the kit, and the mindset for New Zealand - bring out the colours, the World Cup is almost upon us.