Can New Zealand punch above their weight in the Champions trophy?

To borrow from Henry Ford -

Coming together is a beginning,
Keeping together is progress,
Working together is success.

New Zealand are a team that dance in an ensemble, not alone; they pray in a community, not alone. Forever the underdogs, New Zealand has looked like a ‘team’ right from the early 1990s. Despite their horrors in the Test circuit, New Zealand have always been a fine ODI side. And the good news for the Kiwi fans is that New Zealand have always been among the usual suspects in the Champions Trophy. Their only piece of silverware arrived when Chris Cairns’s resplendent century delivered the title triumph in the ICC Champions Trophy( erstwhile ICC Knockout) in 2000. They have come tantalizingly close many times since.

Shorn of big-ticket stars, New Zealand make up for lesser talent with honest whole-hearted effort. Their captain, Brendon McCullum, would be punch-pleased that his boys are peaking at the right time. After slaying the South Africans at their backyard, New Zealand continued their impressive form to tame the Three Lions in England just days ahead of this Champions Trophy. Whilst Martin Guptill has been the chief marksman, there is no denying that he has been ably assisted by his compatriots.

With a potent seam attack and a middle order featuring Brendon McCullum, Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson, plus Guptill’s purple patch, they have a competitive edge. They are a unit not to be taken lightly. These underdogs can bite. The vastly experienced Daniel Vettori’s return to the squad augurs well for the Kiwis.

Chasing a straightforward target, the Kiwis scraped to a tight win in their opening game of the Champions Trophy after Mitchell McClenaghan’s 4-43 wiped out the Sri Lankans for a paltry 138. The Kiwi batting was rusty, but they snatched the desired result nonetheless. Amidst relentless pressure, Nathan McCullum played a charming cameo and Tim Southee held his nerve to complete the job despite Malinga’s heroics. Nathan McCullum is nowhere close near the brute power of his younger brother, but is a utility multi-dimensional player who lends balance to the line-up.

The batsmen will have to pick up the debris and brace themselves for the Australian challenge on Wednesday to inch closer to the semi-final berth. The historic Trans-Tasman rivalry adds lustre to this exciting contest.

Key Players:

Martin Guptill: A batsman of breathtaking chutzpah, Guptill etched his name in the history books when he plundered an unbeaten 189 – the highest ODI score by a Kiwi batsman- to help New Zealand win another ODI trophy on English soil. He has a montage of shots up his sleeve – the precise pull, the crunching cover drive, the authentic straight drive and the lofted shot, among many others. If he can negate the new ball and carry on, New Zealand will prosper.

Ross Taylor: The former skipper showed glimpses of form during the 3-match ODI series versus England. Taylor is among the few batsman who can change the game in a matter of few overs. Watch out for his unorthodox hockey swipes over mid-wicket.

Surprise Package

Mitchell McClenaghan: Another product from New Zealand’s conveyor belt of left-arm pacers, McClenaghan is an aggressive bowler who can swing the ball both ways. He is sort of an ODI specialist. Ask Auckland and Central Districts. He grabbed eyeballs in the first game, wrecking Sri Lanka’s batting, but there is still a long way to go for this promising bowler. Undoubtedly, this tournament will be an important chapter in the cricketing education of Mitchell McClenaghan.

Prediction: New Zeland will fight their way to the semis. And really, it would not be a global event without New Zealand in the semis.