Mark Greatbatch at the Cricket World Cup: Performance shows Daniel Vettori at top of his game

It would be remiss not to acknowledge the superb holding job by Daniel Vettori for the Black Caps, writes Mark Greatbatch. Photo / Getty Images

The quality of swing bowling has been the outstanding feature of this Cricket World World Cup.

And the best examples of that so far came at Eden Park on Saturday.

The displays by Trent Boult and later Australia's Mitchell Starc were out of the top drawer.

Both bowlers had the ball moving late and that is critical. It's one thing to have the ball hooping around from the time it leaves the bowler's hand. But making it move late is another thing altogether, and far harder for batsmen to cope with.

One interesting point on Saturday was it seemed to swing more readily at the northern end of Eden Park. That's where both Boult and Starc did their damage.

As outstandingly as Boult bowled, it would be remiss not to acknowledge the superb holding job by Dan Vettori.

He came on earlier than normal, in the seventh over, with David Warner, having got his eye in, threatening to run amok.

To apply the brakes, and keep the batsmen working overtime, with subtle changes of pace, flight and angle, was just an amazing performance.

When it comes to the biggest stages - and 40,000 at Eden Park with the Aussies in town is right up there to New Zealand eyes - you look to your experienced players to stand tall.

Vettori did that. I've never seen him look so fit. He's right at the top of his game and, simply, he was too good for high-class Australian batsmen looking to get at him.

Both batting teams got their tempo wrong on Saturday. They seemed in a helter-skelter mood.

Remember there were only 55.3 overs bowled in the match. New Zealand won with 161 balls to spare. Why the rush? The two innings began with a hiss and a roar but instead they both went off the tracks.

In Australia's case, they had the chance to build a really significant score by pacing themselves on the back of Warner's start, and then finish strongly.

New Zealand's middle order had plenty of time up their sleeve. Instead it was as if they felt they had to get on with it after Brendon McCullum's departure.

At least a couple of New Zealand wickets were gifted away late with rash shots when they had plenty of overs to spare and only 20-off runs to get. And how close it came to backfiring badly.

Now for New Zealand's dilemma: to make changes against Afghanistan in Napier next Sunday and Bangladesh five days later in Hamilton, or carry on with the favoured XI?

To me, they must make changes for Napier.

If they decide they want their top XI together for Bangladesh as a lead-in to the quarter-final on March 21, I could see that logic. But if they don't get some of the four who haven't been sighted into work in Napier, I'd be very surprised.

Otherwise it would mean, say, Tom Latham would not have had a bat since January 31. What if a batsman cracks a finger against Bangladesh? Pretty tough on the replacement player coming in cold for the quarter-final.

And finally, a word on my old friend Martin Crowe. I was delighted to see him inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame at Eden Park. It's an honour thoroughly deserved, and well overdue.

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