KEY POINTS:
You wouldn't have to be a fortune-teller to guess the item that sits at the top of Stephen Fleming's 2007 wish list.
New Zealand's most successful skipper, Fleming has led his team to unprecedented success over the past decade, trail-blazing his way to history in the West Indies, England and against South Africa, not to mention in the inaugural Champions Trophy in 2000.
But the one prize that has so far eluded him is the one that's escaped a procession of New Zealand skippers since 1975, when the Glenn Turner-led side were knocked out of the inaugural World Cup at the semifinal stage.
On three more occasions New Zealand were to be eliminated after making the final four, the most recent in England in 1999 when - after upsetting Australia in pool play - they were beaten by Pakistan at Manchester.
Fleming has been to three World Cups but the upcoming tournament in the Caribbean will almost certainly be his last; the left-hander will be pushing 38 years of age when the following event rolls around in 2011.
He was in India and Pakistan in 1996 when New Zealand's brave effort was stopped at the quarter-final stage by Australia; he was captain of the semifinalists in 1999, and of the 2003 team who were eliminated in South Africa after the second round.
The 33-year-old has seen it all, from Australia's cynical go-slow in 1999 to Shane Warne's drugs-bust in 2003 and New Zealand's decision to forfeit their 2003 World Cup match in Nairobi on security grounds.
"Naturally we all want to do well in next year's tournament but at the same time it's important that we don't look too far ahead and take our eye off the ball in the here-and-now," said Fleming.
"Of course we understand the passion that accompanies the World Cup, and the desire of Kiwis to see New Zealand get their hands on it.
"India had their turn in 1983, Sri Lanka struck it rich in 1996 and I guess there's a feeling around that it's about time we had it in our trophy cupboard."
But Fleming said blind hope and desire wasn't enough to cut the mustard at World Cup level, and that New Zealand needed to pay full attention to the upcoming ODIs against Sri Lanka, Australia and England in order to be fully prepared.
The New Zealanders are guaranteed at least 15 more ODIs before leaving for the Caribbean and a maximum of 18 if they qualify for the finals of the upcoming tri-series in Australia, the most intensive lead-in for any of the competing teams.
Fleming said the key to the World Cup was to avoid playing it before it arrived.
"There's time for us to explore a few different options this summer and to develop some consistency in what we're trying to do but - to do that - we have to give our complete focus to the game at hand.
"There's an obvious danger in looking too far ahead; it's too easy to overlook the present, to risk wasting the opportunities you might have to develop your game."
Having said that, Fleming said he was optimistic about New Zealand's 2007 campaign, and excited about the potential of a side that contained such talented players.
"There is a huge amount of talent and skill around the ODI squad at the moment and if we can maximise that potential as we intend to, hold onto your seats," he said. "We're ranked at No 3 in the world because we've got a pretty handy record against most teams, but we still think we can lift and, hopefully, peak at the right time."
World Cup Finals
1975 in England: West Indies bt Australia by 17 runs
1979 in England: West Indies beat England by 92 runs
1983 in England: India beat West Indies by 43 runs
1987 in India: Australia beat England by 7 runs
1992 in Australia: Pakistan beat England by 22 runs
1996 in Pakistan: Sri Lanka beat Australia by seven wickets
1999 in England: Australia beat Pakistan by eight wickets
2003 in South Africa: Australia beat India by 125 runs
