Should New Zealand miss out on a place at the Rio Olympics next year, they'll need to take a hard look in the mirror at events in the past few days.

What a curious situation New Zealand Cricket finds itself in, poised to flag a five-dayer in favour of three ODIs next summer, writes David Leggat.

Bruce Edgar's resignation from New Zealand Cricket this week was a result of insurmountable philosophical differences, writes David Leggat.

There's a pile of speculation and rumour, much of it likely to be wide of the mark, before anything more comes of the Essel move, writes David Leggat.

David Leggat wants to bang a couple of heads together as the gulf between one of the country's leading eventing riders and his national body grows ever wider.

It will live on as Brendon McCullum’s philosophy throughout this World Cup adventure: no regrets.

A year ago, you might not have given much for Trent Boult's chances of figuring quite so prominently in the World Cup.

No one will know conclusively who all eight quarter-finalists will be until the last ball of the final round robin game tomorrow night.

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.

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.

It was raining at Eden Park, so the crowd poured on to the concourses.

Sri Lanka will top the World Cup teams in at least one respect - they've got a pile more caps than any other nation.

It was Gordon Gekko who trumpeted "greed is good" in the 1987 film Wall Street.

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

They stand on different sides of the bat and have contrasting roles but Tom Latham acknowledged last night there's much to admire about the way Kane Williamson goes about his work.

New Zealand arrive back from the United Arab Emirates tomorrow afternoon. Time to put the feet up a few days? Yeah right...

Many years ago a young teenager was batting in a school match.

A bad week for golf, or to be more specific Olympic golf and the game's biggest name.

The plot went like this: Jesse Ryder would go to the United Arab Emirates this week with New Zealand A, clobber runs off associate member teams, get into the ODI side, give Pakistan a touch up and....

Former Australian captain Allan Border called for international T20 cricket to be abolished, emphasis placed on the 50-over game - an old merry-go-round of opinion, writes Leggat.

David leggat writes: Certainly there was no question which was the superior team in both key facets. however New Zealand should be cut a degree of slack.

A few weeks back, Mike Hesson made the point that the World Cup door was not shut on Jesse Ryder.