As opener Tom Latham eked out his maiden test century in survival mode, his Black Caps batting partners combusted around him in Abu Dhabi.

The players are the best judge but the Abu Dhabi wicket didn't look like it had somehow drawn on a menacing cloak heading into the third day.

Pakistani batsman Ahmed Shehzad suffered a minor fracture to the skull after taking a Corey Anderson bouncer to the temple.

Martin Guptill can hardly help but hear the criticism when he fails at the batting crease.

Writing open letters isn't for me. Nah, I'm not that narcissistic. If I want to tell a player something, I'd just go down from my commentary spot and tell them.

Jesse Ryder might well be named in the Black Caps' 30-man squad in Dec but maybe it's best he doesn't make the final team for the World Cup.

As tempting as it may be, Luke Ronchi is resisting any thoughts he's a lock in New Zealand's one-day international side.

Jesse Ryder's chances of making the World Cup squad are all but gone.

No one is saying it but there's the risk of a perfect storm brewing for New Zealand.

New Zealand have crashed to another comprehensive defeat in today's second ODI against South Africa at Bay Oval.

Sitting out games for his country doesn't, er, sit that well with Tim Southee; then again, he understands the logic.

You wouldn't call Brendon McCullum the sort prone to flights of fancy. But what happens when you ask the NZ captain about taking his country to World Cup glory?

Brendon McCullum's expression summed up the first ODI of a long summer about right: South Africa killed New Zealand softly at Bay Oval in Mt Maunganui yesterday.

The Black Caps will tomorrow begin their Cricket World Cup preparations at Tauranga's Bay Oval in the first of three one-day internationals against the Proteas.