New Zealand in with a big shout for the world cup

They are really battering teams at the moment. Both Sri Lanka and Pakistan have taken savage beatings at the hands of the Kiwis. They should be making the semi finals at least if they even play at 50%. They have so many matchwinners, especially with their batting. We've all seen how destructive Brendan McCullum can be and he isn't even their star man at the moment. That, for me, is Kane Williamson. He is seriously on fire with the bat. In his last 8 ODIs (against Pakistan and Sri Lanka), he scored 3 centuries and 3 fifties (97, 97 and 54) and he's doing this in double quick time. Even though McCullum has only 1 century and 1 fifty in his last 8 innings, he has 3 scores in the 20s and 30s and he usually gets the Kiwis off to a brisk start taking pressure off the slower Guptill. Ross Taylor seems hit and miss to me but, on his day, is destructive. His last 8 one dayers include a century and 2 fifties (one a 96). You have Grant Eliott who is an all rounder and he's scored a century and a fifty in his last 7 ODIs. Luke Ronchi is the keeper and he too can be a very destructive batsman recently scoring 170 not out to help rescue the team against Sri Lanka. You've got Corey Anderson, the allrounder, who held the record for the fastest ODI century (until smashed by AB de Villiers). The tail, with the likes of Tim Southee and Vettori, can wag a bit too so they are a very impressive batting unit.

The bowling tends to be very well disciplined with the express pace of Milne, the skill of Southee and Trent Boult, the tight spin of Vettori and Nathan McCullum and the allrounders in Anderson and Eliott.

Fielding, as always with New Zealand is first rate.

They are a very good unit, who are on the up at the moment. So long as they can keep this momentum going, they will continue to batter the likes of India, Pakistan, WIndies, Sri Lanka, England. They should easily get the the group stages (as will most big countries) and they are a team no-one will want to face in the knockouts.

The only thing standing in their way from winning the tournament, is their mental capacity. can they handle the pressure when they get to the semi or final? That has been South Africa's downfall time and time again. That's what makes Australia so special.

Totally agree Dawg, the Kiwis are a great 1 day side at the minute....but they do tend to blow up when you least expect them to.

That said, I still expect them to reach the semis with Australia, S Africa and AN Other.

The four best teams, for me, are Oz, Saffers, Kiwis and probably India. Even though they've been beaten badly by England, I expect them to start afresh and build into the tournament. they haven't got as many big time players as last time around but they do have some brilliant players in Kohli and Dhoni. It's hard to pick that 4th semi finalists as the other countries seem so far behind the top 3.