KEY POINTS:
It's difficult to know whether to feel comforted or alarmed by the latest pronouncements on New Zealand's World Cup preparations.
The gist of it seems to be that coach John Bracewell and his selection advisers will this summer leave no stone unturned and no experiment unexplored in their search for a successful tournament combination.
And by definition, that means they haven't yet found one.
Team management doesn't see it like that, of course - they went to the trouble last weekend of briefing media on the reasoning behind their upcoming rotation policy, so there could be no room for confusion.
The message was that key squad members such as Shane Bond and Daniel Vettori, both with histories of back injury, and wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum would be used carefully in the hectic run-up to the squad's departure on February 28.
That would mean vacancies in the line-up and opportunities to try other players, pre-match strategies and onfield tactics.
The test programme safely tucked away, the selectors are now hellbent on using every one of the 16 and possibly 19 one-day internationals between now and the World Cup to best advantage.
After the Boxing Day Twenty20 match, New Zealand are guaranteed five ODIs against Sri Lanka, eight in the upcoming Commonwealth Bank tri-series against Australia and England, and a further three in the transtasman Chappell-Hadlee Series, again to be played at home.
If they do as well in the tri-series as they did last time and make the finals, there would be two - possibly three - more ODIs to add to the mix, and the prospect of playing six games in 10 days.
New Zealand will throw themselves into their pre-tournament campaign with question marks - as always - hovering over the top-order batting, and suitable cover in the pace bowling department.
Champions Trophy batsmen Hamish Marshall, Peter Fulton and Lou Vincent will find themselves under intense scrutiny over the holiday season, and left-armer James Franklin is another who needs to settle the selectors' nerves.
On the flip-side, there will surely be more meaningful opportunities for young batsman Ross Taylor, and for Bracewell to gain more information on the question of McCullum moving into the top order.
The issue is a significant one for the balance of the side.
If McCullum could slot in between No 1 and 5, there would automatically be a vacancy created at No 7 or 8, and the chance for Bracewell to beef up his batting or bowling, depending on the circumstances of the day.
Bracewell could move Vettori and Kyle Mills up a place to fill the gap, thereby making room for a specialist bowler such as Chris Martin; he could draft in another bowling all-rounder such as Andre Adams, or he could opt for more batting depth.
But, as much as there will be opportunity awaiting this summer's Black Caps, there will also be a gnawing awareness that 16 ODIs is plenty of time to play oneself out of form, out of the team and out of the World Cup.
For a veteran such as Nathan Astle, who has historically struggled in tournament situations, a lean run against Sri Lanka or in the tri-series could leave him in the same position as this time last year, when he was unceremoniously dumped.
Whatever Bracewell's thoughts, it seems unlikely they'll be easily read as he juggles his line-up over the next two months, starting with the opening one-day at Napier on Thursday.
"It's a commonsense approach," he said this week. "It's unrealistic to think all those regular front runners could play all those games and go to the World Cup fresh, fit and ready to try and win it."
Road to the cup
New Zealand's 2006-07 ODI campaign
December 26: v Sri Lanka, Auckland, 2nd Twenty20*
December 28: v Sri Lanka, Napier, 1st ODI*
December 31: v Sri Lanka, Queenstown, 2nd ODI*
January 2: v Sri Lanka, Christchurch, 3rd ODI*
January 6: v Sri Lanka, Auckland, 4th ODI
January 9: v Sri Lanka, Hamilton, 5th ODI
January 14: v Australia, Hobart, CB Series*
January 16: v England, Hobart, CB Series*
January 21: v Australia, Sydney, CB Series
January 23: v England, Adelaide, CB Series
January 28: v Australia, Perth, CB Series
January 30: v England, Perth, CB Series
February 4: v Australia, Melbourne, CB Series
February 6: v England, Brisbane, CB Series
February 9: 1st Final, Melbourne, CB Series
February 11: 2nd Final, Sydney, CB Series
February 13: 3rd Final, Adelaide, CB Series
February 16: v Australia, Wellington, 1st Chappell-Hadlee
February 18: v Australia, Auckland, 2nd Chappell-Hadlee*
February 20: v Australia, Hamilton, 3rd Chappell-Hadlee
* denotes day game
