WORLD CUP: Group A Squads - New Zealand

New Zealand World Cup Squad

Batsmen

 Brendon McCullum - 29 - Wicket Keeper - Right Hand Opening/Middle Order Batsman

Jesse Ryder - 26 - Left Hand Opening/Top Order Batsman

Martin Guptill - 24 - Right Hand Opening/Top Order Batsman
Jamie How - 29 - Right Hand Opening/Top Order Batsman
Ross Taylor - 26 - Right Hand Top Order Batsman
Kane Williamson - 20 - Right Hand Middle Order Batsman
 All Rounders
Scott Styris - 35 - Right Hand Middle Order Batsman - Right Arm Medium Bowler
Luke Woodcock - 28 - Left Hand Middle Order Batsman - Left Arm Orthodox Spin Bowler
Daniel Vettori (Captain) - 31 - Left Arm Orthodox Spin Bowler - Left Hand Lower Order Batsman
Jacob Oram - 32 - Right Arm Fast Medium Bowler - Left Hand Lower Order Batsman
James Franklin - 30 - Left Arm Fast Medium Bowler - Left Hand Lower Order Batsman

Spin Bowlers
Nathan McCullum - 30 - Right Arm Off Spin Bowler
Fast Bowlers
Tim Southee - 22 - Right Arm Fast Medium Bowler
Kyle Mills - 31 - Right Arm Fast Medium Bowler
Hamish Bennett - 23 - Right Arm Medium Fast Bowler

New Zealand have pulled a surprise by picking a half-decent side for the World Cup. The Kiwis have had a horror run recently in One-Day Internationals with a thrashing at the hands of India and embarrassing 4-0 series loss to Bangladesh. The selectors, led by former enterprising batsman Mark Greatbatch, have seen reason and finally done away with some of the perpetual underperformers like BJ Watling, Grant Elliott, Neil Broom and Gareth Hopkins. Greatbatch was a vital part of New Zealand's famed 1992 World Cup side which swept all before them on the way to finishing top of the single nine-team group that the tournament consisted of, before a heartbreaking semi-final loss to Pakistan. New Zealand's 92 success came from Martin Crowe's revolutionary tactics based around a plethora of medium pace bowling all-rounders, in what became one of the world's first specialist One-Day teams. This team is of that spirit. Although I've separated the players into their somewhat arbitrary categories, in reality they almost have 15 all rounders. Only Hamish Bennett of the bowlers is a genuine tailender and of the batsman, Ryder, Guptill and Williamson bowl regularly and usefully.

Prediction

New Zealand are unlikely to win the World Cup, but they should pose a genuine threat and make it through to the quarter finals at least. Once there they have the ability on a good day to cause an upset and go even further.

 Hosford's XI

B.McCullum, Ryder, Guptill, Taylor, Styris, Williamson, Vettori, Oram, N.McCullum, Southee, Mills