Wright is the man with a World Cup plan for the Black caps

HAMILTON - When New Zealand coach John Wright brings his country’s national cricket team to the Indian subcontinent for the World Cup later this month, he will have two things going for him - an intimate knowledge of Indian conditions and the fact that he was the coach of the 2003 Indian squad that reached the World Cup final, but lost to Australia.

Wright still squirms at how they got it wrong in the 2003 final against Australia in Johannesburg when they stacked the lineup with seven batsmen and were comprehensively beaten.

“When we went into the World Cup final, we should have played six batters, played [Anil] Kumble, Harbhajan [Singh] and our three quicks. You have to be brave to beat the big teams,” the Dominion Post quotes Wright, as saying.o for the big games, for the Kiwis, it’s all about six batsmen - including gloveman Brendon McCullum - and five bowlers.

Wright and Daniel Vettori have their best XI reasonably clear. It appears that is Guptill, Ryder, B McCullum, Taylor, Styris, Franklin, N McCullum, Oram, Vettori, Southee and Bennett.

Mills is pushing hard while How, Williamson and Woodcock may only have limited opportunities. right wants the public to know their side will scrap for everything, and be well prepared.

Armed with notes, he sat down for 25 minutes to explain his blueprint for World Cup success. But he needs his players to step up.

Wright said: “We may have to think outside the square and we’ve got to do a lot of analysis on who we’re playing. You’ll look at Australia and think we’ve got to back our batsmen to get the runs and have five bowlers, we’ve got a chance to beat them.” (ANI)