It will be a political game that will necessitate the need for Australia to lift a fruit-fly ban status hanging over New Zealand cricket for decades.
Listening to the Ockers on television this week you somehow get the impression a condescending attitude prevails towards recognising the achievements of the Mike Hesson-coached Kiwis.
Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin was at the forefront of expressing hollow platitudes when asked how the Kiwis were faring after three robust victories on the trot as well as the record-making feats of McCullum (25-ball 77) and seamer Tim Southee (7-33) against England.
"New Zealand are playing good cricket at the moment ... They are playing some brave cricket, playing with confidence.
"They have dangerous batters and bowlers who are in form," Haddin said with an impish grin.
"Good", "brave" and "in form" are merely diplomatic nothings, akin to relatives exchanging pleasantries, mindful that circumstances have brought them together.
They are sweet ramblings before they slip on the gloves to start swinging.
It simply isn't in the demeanour of the Australian psyche to concede another team may be better than them and, if not better, then on their day capable of doing the unthinkable.
Sure, Australia are the No1 World Cup favourites because many variables - batting, bowling and home advantage heading into the key playoffs - are in their favour.
No doubt that quality is revered in the smallest continent of the world which has rightly not extended the Kiwis much neighbourly love on account of the latter's poor record previously.
The Black Caps must come in at No2 for similar reasons, bar the home turf come playoffs.
But diplomacy doesn't work because it tends to evoke an allergic response.
To have an Australia, India and New Zealand tri-series before the World Cup would have made more sense.
The last time Australia and New Zealand faced each other in a completed ODI match was at the previous 2011 World Cup.
Two years ago they locked horns in a Champions Trophy match at Birmingham that became a stalemate because of rain.
It's hard to argue that Australia need to curry favour with India because the defending champions' fans can predominantly fill up to 87,000 seats in the blink of an eye without the hosts playing.
An Aussie v Kiwis clash should conjure similar magic.
The marginalisation of the Black Caps is up there with New Zealand Rugby Union's treatment of the Pacific Island nations.
Scores of expatriate Kiwis live in Australia and many would book flights from here to watch a mouth-watering cricket series involving the Transtasman rivals.
Should New Zealand win on Saturday the word "respect" should be redefined in Australia's statutes of diplomacy, which must go beyond the lip service of a Chappell-Hadlee Trophy fast losing its sheen.
A loss may beg the question of how good the Black Caps are but should McCullum and his men go on to win the World Cup next month in Melbourne then no one can argue.
The prudent will say do the job here first to break the shackles of the small-man syndrome. Eden Park is after all a purpose-built Twenty20 venue to thrill.
They had the likes of McCullum, Corey Anderson, Luke Ronchi and unsuccessful Jesse Ryder in mind when the boundaries were drawn up for a 55-metre straight drive.
But what the Kiwis can do, the Australians can emulate - if not do better - must be the edict in the visitors' changing room between innings.
Warner, Aaron Finch, Shane Watson and Glenn Maxwell are equally adept in mistiming balls over the ropes.
This will be the litmus test for the Black Caps' self-belief towards the playoff although, I hasten to add, it could be a game that simply comes down to who wins the toss and bats first (as India did against South Africa at the MCG).
The England flogging has to go down as an aberration in the march towards New Zealand's maiden World Cup.
Winning against the likes of Sri Lanka and Pakistan provided positive reinforcement but the game against Australia will be a test of character, especially if the home team stumble.
Many wrote off India on the basis of the build-up to the cup but the bookkeepers must now be reassessing their odds.
You see, what is unnerving is the propensity for a team to switch on after looking unconvincing for the most part.
Of course, it helps when 90 per cent of the stadium comprises Indian fans making their players feel at home on what is New Zealand's dormant backyard.
