David Leggat: Black Caps prepare to chase cricket's Holy Grail

New Zealand could scarcely be going into the tournament in a better frame of mind. Photo / Getty Images

Time to change the kit, and the mindset for New Zealand - bring out the colours, the World Cup is almost upon us.

New Zealand could scarcely be going into the tournament in a better frame of mind. Consider that seven of yesterday's second test-winning XI are expected to be named in this afternoon's 15-strong World Cup squad. They should be feeling pretty good about their cricket right now.

Yes, the demands of the 50-over game are substantially different from test cricket, but what goes on between the ears, reflecting on another job well done in the test arena, is important.

New Zealand have nine ODIs to fine-tune their game for a serious tilt at a first World Cup title.

Players are fond of saying it's easy to switch thought processes between five- and one-day cricket. Touring schedules are such that they do it all the time, no big deal. Let's see.

They won't pull on the whites again until May in England, when they play tests at Lord's and Leeds.

They will present distinctly different challenges from those New Zealand have experienced on their splendid march to six-straight series without defeat.

The players should reflect on how far they have come as a test group in the past 18 months.

Some have been there the whole time. Others, like Mark Craig and Tom Latham, have arrived during the run and made significant contributions.

But the rest of the summer will be given over to chasing that Holy Grail which has so far eluded New Zealand, most dramatically at Eden Park almost 23 years ago when they seemed the strongest of odds to make the final.

The players will discover, as those in 1992 did, how much a groundswell of support can help. They are certainly not without a chance, but it will be demanding.

New Zealand, the test team, have been through demanding times, too, and pulled through. Remember that dark hole at the start of 2013, with a change of captain, being clattered in South Africa?

Look at us now, they might feel entitled to say. Happy days.