As far as scripting a final for a World Cup goes, organisers of this one could not have hoped for things to play out any better. Sunday’s finale will be contested between the two neighbouring co-hosts. The two teams have already played each other in the tournament, with New Zealand coming out on top in a low-scoring thriller; a match played in New Zealand. Now, the two teams meet again – this time, for a far bigger prize. New Zealand will travel to Melbourne to tussle for the trophy. They have not played an ODI in Australia for over six years, having drawn the last one-day series played here back in 2009.

New Zealand will be shaken out of their comfort zone come Sunday. Since the start of this Cricket World Cup, New Zealand have imposed themselves on their opposition. They have had the luxury of playing all of their matches on home soil, often on postage stamp grounds, which has helped their aerial brand of cricket. The swing on offer has seen their bowlers shine and the return of Daniel Vettori has added a boost of experience.

But the Melbourne Cricket Ground is a different kettle of fish. The boundaries are larger, the track is flatter and the crowd won’t be completely behind them. New Zealand’s batsmen have not been overly consistent in this tournament. Only Brendon McCullum has regularly notched up half-centuries and Martin Guptill has managed the only two centuries in their campaign. But New Zealand might take some solace in the fact that, although Australia have had more centuries, they have had just two in-form players – the unlikely pair of Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell. While Smith has evolved to resemble a future Australian captain, Maxwell’s approach is far easier to exploit. McCullum’s aggressive tactical acumen will also be crucial in breaking down the Australian attack up front.

Australia’s bowling attack is equally probing, and McCullum settling into a nudge-and-nurdle approach up front rather than his usual smack-bang effort will be critical to New Zealand’s success. On paper, Australia might edge out New Zealand in terms of talent, but New Zealand will have won over the hearts of many during their campaign.

Some South Africans might disagree, but New Zealand are infinitely more likable than Australia. New Zealand will have far more than just the 4.4 million who live there supporting them on Sunday, because through their brand of cricket and their approach, Brendon McCullum and his men have won over the hearts of neutrals and those they have beaten along the way. They are not a freakishly talented team like some other sides. McCullum, one of the revolutionaries of the modern game, and Trent Boult, one of the finest purveyors of swing bowling in the world, are perhaps the only two who can be lumped into the “freak of nature” category. Even then, both of them do what they do best through sheer bloody-mindedness.

It’s no wonder that when McCullum was once told that kids watching him wanted to be just like him growing up, he quipped: “That’s silly, they should want to be like Kane Williamson.”

Even when the Black Caps’ backs were against the wall, one or two players have always stood up, and they have done so without a hint of arrogance. Australia, meanwhile, have acted in the way they always do: brash, dominant and in-your-face, without so much as a modicum of courtesy.

Of course, that approach has its advantages. Cricket is played on the field and not by making small talk around a water cooler, and crushing all that stands in your way is one way of getting to the top.

Yet sport is not just played on the pitch. It is embedded in our lives, our minds and our approach. The characters that do their daily jobs for our entertainment become the heroes and antiheroes in the narratives that add intrigue to our lives. Sunday’s script promises to deliver one epic ending. DM

Photo: New Zealand’s Corey Anderson hits out against Australia while being watched by Brad Haddin (R) in their Cricket World Cup match in Auckland February 28, 2015. REUTERS/Nigel Marple