All true, but there's no denying McClenaghan seems to have the precious knack of getting batsmen out.
He's been doing it since his debut for New Zealand, when he took four for 20 in his 10 overs in a win over South Africa at Paarl in early 2013.
On Sunday it was four for 36, a performance notable for two things: his opening two-over spell went for 15, therefore his last eight produced a standout four for 21; and he nabbed three in one maiden over.
"To be completely honest it was set up by the work of Milney and Boulty [Adam Milne and Trent Boult] up front, and Nathan's [McCullum] work in the middle overs meant they were under pressure on quite a hard wicket to score on. I was the beneficiary there, but the credit definitely goes to those boys."
The five seamers in the World Cup squad -- Milne, Boult, Tim Southee, Kyle Mills and McClenaghan -- have different qualities. It's possible, depending on the mix in the remaining cup lead up games against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, that McClenaghan might not get the new ball but he's relaxed about that.
Boult is among the best swing men in the world game. Southee, the express Milne and Mills also like first use. But McClenaghan points out they can swing it for longer and in any case he relishes the challenge of bowling in the middle and death overs.
"It's no real drama to me," he said on skipping the new ball. "I love it at the death. I love thinking about the game and analysing batsmen.
"You always try and stay one step ahead and have fields where the batsman has to try and hit certain areas that put the percentages in my favour."
He likes predicting batsmen's movements as they roll up their sleeves for the frantic final few overs.
With batsmen becoming increasingly inventive trying to hit the ball to unusual parts of the field, McClenaghan gets a buzz out of matching wits.
There are other bowlers who perform as well as the big, aggressive left-armer, but somehow when it comes to ODIs, McClenaghan has a golden arm.
How so? McClenaghan can't speak for the others in the squad who are jostling for -- almost certainly -- no more than three places in the eight games left before the cup starts. However he acknowledged one element which certainly hasn't hurt him.
"I guess I try and play without fear," the 28-year-old Aucklander said.
"I go out and play every game as if it's my last. I don't put any added pressure on myself, just make sure I'm enjoying it and giving it absolutely everything. I enjoy the fact I'm bowling for my country."
At times, McClenaghan looks fit to bust as he delivers the ball with such determination and momentum that he'll tumble forward in his follow through.
He has a rationale for his "every ball at full tilt" approach.
"The one ball when you don't hit the deck or put that effort in, it goes out of the park. You just know you've got to put in every single ball."
There are times McClenaghan has got collared. Last year captain Brendon McCullum admitted he could live with that, provided the wickets were coming.
The quintet will go turn about during the Sri Lankan series, and the two ODIs against Pakistan at the end of this month.
When the dust settles for the start of the cup, there's no guarantee a clear picture on McCullum and coach Mike Hesson's preferences will have emerged.
But there's no question they have a range of options and skills from which to make their choice.
Mitchell McClenaghan's ODI record
- In his 29 ODIs, McClenaghan has taken 60 wickets at an impressive 24.15 each.
- His best figures were five for 58 against the West Indies at Eden Park in December 2013.
- He is equal second-fastest bowler to 50 ODI wickets, doing it in 23 games, the same as India's Ajit Agarkar and behind only Sri Lankan spinner Ajantha Mendis, who was four games quicker.
- McClenaghan needs 40 wickets in his next 23 games to eclipse the quickest to 100 wickets, Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, who got there in 53 games.
- David Leggat of the New Zealand Herald
