Adam Parore: McCullum world beater in waiting - promote him

The time is right to promote Brendon McCullum to the top of the New Zealand batting order, and find out if we have a world beater on our hands a la Adam Gilchrist.

Despite his and a few other heroics, I'm still left with the "if only" feeling despite the Black Caps' magnificent run chase to beat Australia in Christchurch.

Instead of talking about a world record score, we could have been celebrating consecutive record scores and a series win against Australia, which would have been something.

Instead, this victory will be forgotten within six months because it is just another ODI win.

If I was in the current side, I'd be ruing another lost opportunity, as happened several times in my career.

I still grieve over a few that got away - specifically our run chase against South Africa at Brisbane in the world series of 2001 which saw us finish one run short of a 300-odd target. In that instance we needed about 10 an over for the last 20, having been 5 for 100. Cairnsy, Macca, Nath, Dan and co - survivors of that particular episode - will be feeling especially sick.

It's important to remember that this is a really good Black Caps unit, something that will not always be the case for these players in their careers. History shows us that the quality of our side tends to fluctuate quite a bit due to injuries and a lack of depth, so if you play for 10 years or so maybe only four or five of them will be in a really good side.

So on with the World Cup preparation.

The really pleasing part is the lower order batting ensemble of Chris Cairns/Jacob Oram/McCullum.

But that presents a problem about what to do with McCullum. There's no question he will continue to do a great job at the bottom of the order and there is always the theory that if it's not broke don't fix it.

Fifty off 25 balls might be great from McCullum, but you don't win World Cups by having a guy doing that down there. What wins World Cups is a player like Gilchrist getting big scores which get his team out in front from the start - rather than a blazing cameo at the end.

That's how you win the five or six games in a row that it takes to win a World Cup. No disrespect to McCullum, but if we need him to win six in a row from the situation he found himself in the other night it isn't going to happen.

The selectors need to work out if they believe McCullum is capable of being a Gilchrist. If they do, then they need to get him up the list sharpish. If nothing else he is at least worth a go up there. While you lose some firepower down the order, it's not that difficult to manufacture players who can score quick 30s and 40s, even if they are not that flash. Uncovering a world-class top order batter is somewhat harder.

Making 100s regularly at the top of the order will win us games and you can't do it unless you are a fine player. I believe he can. His form over the past 18 months, coupled with his past domination/demolition of international under-19 opposition, suggests there is more in the tank.

Just imagine how much damage he could do if he opened the batting and played as well as he did the other night - 50 off 25 could then become 120 off 75.

Now is definitely the time to do it as the West Indies and Sri Lanka who - with no disrespect - are not right up there in terms of their bowling. On his day, he could give those guys a real mauling and there is some merit in experimenting with him while is in good nick.

The usual problems emerged against Australia, including bowling at the death. This has been a problem for as long as I can remember and the only real solution appears to be the return of Shane Bond.

We've experimented with our bowling attack over the past two years and built a bit of depth, and I can't see any point in going outside of the usual suspects.

The batting is a different story.

James Marshall and Craig McMillan, in particular, are highly unlikely on form to make runs next time out. The removal of either wouldn't weaken the side, and there will be an upside to giving some fresh blood a run in the lead-up to the World Cup. On this basis both are likely to be rotated.

I haven't seen much of the domestic scene but Jesse Ryder, Jamie Howe and Peter Fulton are the next cabs off the rank, in no particular order.

I'd be surprised if they weren't given a run for the simple reason that there is nothing to lose. I said at the beginning of the series against Australia that the winning and losing would depend on seven guys and on the evidence I was right. Given that will remain the case for the rest of the summer the selectors have a great opportunity to work some younger players into the two or three batting spots where we can afford to experiment.

Even if we could develop just one new player into a genuine international in the upcoming series, the selectors would be delighted.