KEY POINTS:
Balance hasn't been a word widely associated with John Bracewell since he took over as New Zealand coach.
But in terms of selecting the most likely players, covering the most likely contingencies and resisting any impulse buying, it's hard to argue against his mix for the World Cup.
The pace attack is well supported but carries no extra padding; the batting line-up has the luxury of only one back-up position, and there are just enough part-timers to jury-rig the outfit in a worst-case scenario.
That balance wasn't so evident in either of New Zealand's past two World Cup campaigns. In 1999 - played in seam-friendly English conditions - they left their batting stocks so lean that none of the top-order practitioners could be replaced, despite being hampered by some frightening form.
Nathan Astle averaged 8.77 and Craig McMillan 17, yet both played in each of New Zealand's nine games while bowlers such as Daniel Vettori, Matt Hart, Simon Doull and Carl Bulfin sat on the sideline.
It wasn't much better four years later in South Africa, when New Zealand appeared to blunder by carrying one back-up batsman too many, although the selection in that campaign was so bizarre it was difficult to isolate a single cause for their elimination.
The abiding memory is of Vettori being left out for the first match against Sri Lanka at Bloemfontein - apparently after a scouting report from assistant coach Ashley Ross - on the grounds that the pitch would favour the seamers.
New Zealand then proceeded to win the toss, bowl first and then get beaten on a low burner by a Sri Lankan side that used four spinners. There was also the head-scratching over the ongoing omission of Daryl Tuffey, and the sight of two batsmen - usually Mathew Sinclair and one other - sitting out every game.
Whatever you might make of his 2007 combination, Bracewell has at least avoided those sorts of extremes.
Craig McMillan, having saved his career on the back of his two-innings-in-the-same-match against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, appears to be in a head-to-head battle with Peter Fulton for one of the batting positions.
Fulton has question marks over his ability to take the initiative during the powerplays, and there are doubts over McMillan's flexibility, especially when boundary-hitting is not an option.
If neither improves during the early rounds, Bracewell has room to leave both out, move Jacob Oram, Brendon McCullum and James Franklin up one place and bring in an extra bowler.
Bracewell could feel comfortable about his bowling reserves without being troubled by the notion that he'd erred on the safe side to the detriment of his batting. It seems one batsman and three bowlers are destined to miss the cut in each of New Zealand's World Cup games; a not-unreasonable quota.
That would mean, if Shane Bond blew a radiator and Franklin a fetlock, Bracewell could still be adequately served by the likes of Mark Gillespie, Michael Mason, Daryl Tuffey, Oram, Vettori and Jeetan Patel.
He has a back-up wicket-keeper in Lou Vincent, and enough bits-and pieces bowling in the shape of Scott Styris and McMillan to cover any mid-game emergencies. Now, all he needs is some form.
