Scotland stick out as a probable match captain Brendon McCullum and Hesson could have used to throw in some of the bench boys.
Ditto Afghanistan from pool A when the Black Caps will host another cup qualifier at McLean Park, Napier, on Sunday, March 8, from 10.30am.
But the pundits will argue the first XI had their share of wobbles against the Scots so nothing is a given. In the worst-case scenario, had the hosts lost that game the detractors could have easily pointed a finger at any selection changes.
The reality is it's human nature, albeit unacceptable, to drop one's guard against so-called minnows.
It seems top-tier nations, as the West Indies found out against Ireland, aren't keen to take any risks in treating underdogs with utter disdain.
Cup upstarts Ireland got through by the skin of their teeth early yesterday morning against Hawke's Bay's adopted nation, the United Arab Emirates, in Brisbane in pool B.
On the flip side that is tantamount to embracing the edict of Central Districts Stags speed merchant Adam Milne that the horse-for-courses theory is best left for the thoroughbred racing industry.
Mills is indisputably an old horse and his displeasure at how the wickets are grossly stacked against bowlers in a batsmen's paradise is well documented.
But what can we make of McClenaghan, who brings an in-your-face type of aggression that could best match Australian left-armer Mitchell Johnson.
Should the Auckland Aces strike bowler be in the equation for tomorrow's sold-out ODI against the Ockers?
Hesson's latest interview suggests that won't happen.
Central Districts Stags team manager Lance Hamilton reckons with all the depth in the national team, the "sub fielders" will be pretty excited simply to be involved with the cup on home soil.
Hamilton says there shouldn't be "much animosity or anything like that".
"They'll be training the house down and should they get the opportunity they'll be ready to go," says the former two-ODI match Black Cap seamer.
With an unblemished record, he understands why Hesson is reluctant to shuffle his cards.
"They are confident, their chemistry is better so he won't want to change much," he says, mindful a 45,000 capacity crowd at Eden Park tomorrow is something that hasn't happened for some time.
With Tim Southee and Trent Boult hitting their straps, Milne provides express pace. Mills and Daniel Vettori offer experience but any of the other remaining bowlers can come off the bench to complement Southee and Boult.
"That's the most bowling depth ever seen in New Zealand cricket."
While a top-of-the-pool perch is up for grabs, the Australians will be showing the Kiwis more respect than they have in the past 14 years.
"To play the Australians in the pool stages of the World Cup will give us a good guide as to where we're at."
Hamilton rose to prominence when the touring Australia played the Stags in 2000.
The opening bowler claimed seven tourist scalps, winning accolades of Steve Waugh.
A robust stint in the one-day Ford Trophy season earned him a Black Caps call up against Australia in February 2005.
He played two games to claim a wicket with fellow lefties Geoff Allott, Shayne O'Connor and James Franklin eclipsing him for game time.
"I'd love to have played test cricket but I don't lie awake at night dwelling on it," says the former Ruahine Motors Central Hawke's Bay cricketer, grateful for the opportunity to have tasted the summer code on an international stage, albeit fleetingly.
He made his first-class debut for CD in 1996-97, finishing with 57 matches in Napier in December 2006 with 198 wickets, including seven five-wicket bags and the best figures of 6-32.
His List A career spanned a similar era, culminating with 80 wickets from 60 matches with 5-19 his best haul.
He made his domestic twenty20 debut against the Cantabrians in January 2006 before retiring a year later.
