Cricket: New Zealand betting predictions, odds for ICC World Cup

New Zealand are at generous odds with our chosen bookmakers to win the ICC World Cup in England and Wales starting this week.

Top cricket sportsbook Williams Hill rates the Black Caps as $11 chances, and they seem great value after their outstanding run four years ago when they lost in the final to Australia.

New Zealand have an outstanding batting line-up featuring such luminaries as Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, as well as powerful opener Martin Guptill.

They also have an outstanding opening bowler in Trent Boult while leg-spinner Ish Sodhi will be important for them in the English conditions.

They have really flown under the radar leading into this ODI World Cup but we won’t be surprised to see the Kiwis contending for a place in the final at Lord’s.

The WGL has looked at all 10 teams competing and predicted where they will finish in the World Cup starting on May 30. We have also looked at betting options in a few of the many markets available.

England, India and five-time champions Australia head betting to win the 2019 ICC World Cup final .

OTHER TEAMS:
Sri Lanka
Bangladesh
Afghanistan
West Indies
South Africa
Pakistan
India
Australia
England

ALSO READ:
ICC World Cup 2019 betting guide
ICC World Cup 2019 leading wicket-taker
Cricket betting sites
ICC World Cup 2019 leading run-scorer
ICC World Cup 2019 player of tournament

Prediction: Where New Zealand will finish in the 2019 World Cup

WGL prediction: Third. The Black Caps are a really consistent, professional outfit, though they could use a little of the magic provided by former wicketkeeper-batsman Brendon McCullum, who changed the game in some respects with his free-swinging style of reckless abandon. They do everything well though, and should have the measure of at least half the teams competing. From there it’s a just a small leap to the finals.

New Zealand’s World Cup draw

June 1: New Zealand v Sri Lanka, Cardiff Wales Stadium
June 5: Bangladesh v New Zealand, The Oval, London (d/n)
June 8: Afghanistan v New Zealand, County Ground Taunton
June 13: India v New Zealand, Trent Bridge, Nottingham
June 19: New Zealand v South Africa, Edgbaston, Birmingham
June 22: Windies v New Zealand, Old Trafford, Manchester (d/n)
June 26: New Zealand v Pakistan, Edgbaston, Birmingham
June 29: New Zealand v Australia, Lord’s, London (d/n)
July 3: England v New Zealand, The Riverside, Chester-le-Street

New Zealand squad for the 2019 ICC World Cup

Coach: Gary Stead

Batsmen
Kane Williamson (captain)
Tom Blundell (wicketkeeper)
Tom Latham (wicketkeeper)
Martin Guptill
Colin Munro
Henry Nicholls
Ross Taylor

Bowlers
Tim Southee
Trent Boult
Lockie Ferguson
Matt Henry
Ish Sodhi

All-rounders
Colin de Grandhomme
Jimmy Neesham
Mitchell Santner

Leading wicket-taker predictions for New Zealand

If the New Zealand side has a glaring weakness it may well be in the depth of its bowling attack. They do, however, have left-arm quick Trent Boult ($11), who was the equal leading World Cup wicket-taker four years ago, and there is no reason he won’t plunder plenty of wickets again this time; his figures stack up favourably against many of the other best paceman around. The Kiwis will also be hoping to get plenty out of Ish Sodhi, a tricky spinner who has done well at times in various short-form competitions. But Boult for us will be NZ’s leading light at the bowling crease.

Leading run-scorer tips for New Zealand

Kane Williamson ($15 to be top scorer overall) is a top-class batsman in all three forms of the game and with the pitches made to order he will be so tough to remove. Opener Martin Guptill ($21), who has proven previously he can score heavily in big tournaments, is also a great chance to be at least his side’s leading scorer. With benign pitches and small grounds, he really could prove almost impossible to contain. Like with, for example, Chris Gayle from the Windies, it’s barely more than a flick of the wrists for Guptill to plant poor deliveries over the fences at most grounds. But we will lean towards the veteran Ross Taylor ($26 overall and $4.50 to be most prolific for NZ), who is still right at the top of his game. In January, he became the first Kiwi player to score 20 ODI tons, and the following month he passed Stephen Fleming as his country’s top ODI run-maker. His average since having eye surgery is above 70 in this form of the game. This trio will be fun to watch.

New Zealand prediction – Can the Black Caps go one better?

It may be now or never for what has been something of a golden generation of one-day cricket stars for New Zealand. Stars such as Dan Vettori and Brendon McCullum have already departed, while Taylor, 35, and Guptill, 32, are likely playing their last ICC World Cups. They came so close in the 2015 World Cup and the World Gambling List feels if they can uncover a winning bowling formula, we predict New Zealand is capable of making the ICC World Cup semi-finals at least.

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