Cricket World Cup: Which team will your shirt be on? A nation by nation guide to the Cricket World Cup - New Zealand

VERDICT: It is difficult to imagine New Zealand's captain, Stephen Fleming, holding aloft the magnificent ICC World Cup on 20 June. But then, who would have given a prayer, for Kapil Dev doing so at Lord's in 1983, or, likewise, for Arjuna Ranatunga in Lahore in 1996? There are too many sides at absurdly short odds from the start but at 12-1 New Zealand are a sound outside bet. They will create more upset than any other team in the tournament. Those that play together stay together can be a telling adage in sport and New Zealand have been careful in selecting and then sticking with their chosen men. Fleming is the nearest they have to a class act but they have a number of middle-order trail-blazers and enough bowlers to annoy by keeping the pace off the ball. The Super Six beckons and then who knows?

EMERGING HERO: Daniel Vettori has played 16 Test matches and 38 one-dayers and is still only 20. He came through the age group ranks, is obviously the future of New Zealand cricket and while his left-arm spin will not run through opposing batsmen, his experience at such a young age will be vital.

ACHILLES' HEEL: Teamwork will take them only so far. They have plenty of characters in the side, but they lack an ingredient all past World Cup winners have had: stars.

HISTORIC POINT: New Zealand can lay claim to a one-day revolution every bit as exciting as Sri Lanka's pinch-hitting ploy. In 1991 captain Martin Crowe came up with the idea of opening the bowling with spin. They beat Australia by 37 runs and reached the semi-finals.

SILLY POINT: If they win do not expect "ere we go, sport, 'ere we go" in the dressing room. NZ board boss Christopher Doig is a former opera star.

RECORD: 1975 semi-final; 1979 semi-final; 1983 1st round; 1987 1st round; 1992 semi-final; 1996 quarter-final.

SQUAD: S P Fleming (capt), N J Astle, M J Horne, C D McMillan, R G Twose, C L Cairns, A C Parore, C Z Harris, D J Nash, D L Vettori, M N Hart, S B Doull, G R Larsen, C E Bulfin, G I Allott.

ODDS: 20-1.