New Zealand coach Mike Hesson is tipping upsets during the World Cup - and that is part of the reason he bristled slightly at a description of tomorrow's opponent, Scotland.
Picture if you will - and it's hard at the moment - a rainy day at the bach.
New Zealand's opening World Cup game potentially just got several degrees tougher with the news that Sri Lanka's star bowler Lasith Malinga will be fit for the match at Hagley Oval this Saturday.
Cricket fans have a nervous wait ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 opening game in Christchurch on Saturday, with early weather forecasts predicting dark clouds ahead.
Martin Guptill provided the sole ray of sunshine on a bitterly cold, gloomy day at Lincoln yesterday.
New Zealand cricketing great Martin Crowe selflessly described Kane Williamson's form this summer as the "dawn of probably our greatest ever batsman".
Grant Elliot's all-round performance eclipsed Shahid Afridi's 29-ball blitz to secure New Zealand a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in the first One Day International in Wellington tonight.
Black Caps seamer Adam Milne has recovered from his side strain and could come in to the side to meet Pakistan at Westpac Stadium in Wellington tomorrow.
Sri Lanka have kept the intrigue alive for the unofficial eighth match of their one-day international series to take place in Christchurch on February 14 at the World Cup.
New Zealand has a problem at the top of their batting order.
Another piece of the World Cup puzzle snapped into place for the Black Caps yesterday with Ross Taylor rediscovering his touch.
New Zealand are about to discover what ODI life without Kane Williamson is all about, albeit briefly.
Corey Anderson chose a good time for his best one-day international innings innings in a while at Hagley Oval yesterday.
Half-centuries by Brendon McCullum and Corey Anderson carried New Zealand to a three-wicket win in the opening ODI against Sri Lanka at Hagley Oval today.
The New Zealand cricket team has seldom been in better form heading into a World Cup, but veteran Daniel Vettori has highlighted run-outs as an area where they must exercise better judgment.
Black Caps batsman Ross Taylor rates the University Oval pitch as the best wicket he has played on at the venue.
Test match batting, check; ODI batting sorted.
Mitchell McClenaghan was quick to praise the work of his fellow bowlers as he reflected on another substantial ODI haul in New Zealand's three-wicket win over Sri Lanka in Christchurch.
Nathan McCullum and Daniel Vettori have two battles as the World Cup approaches.
Whether you treat international cricket's ratings as gospel or gobbledygook, they make fine reading for New Zealand.
