The White Ferns stand for the national anthem Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Inside knowledge could help the White Ferns make a winning start when the T20 World Cup swings into action in South Africa this weekend.
New Zealand open their campaign against trans-Tasman rivals Australia in Paarl early on Sunday morning (NZ time).
The White Ferns new coach is not only Australian, but a former assistant coach with the world's number one side.
Senior all-rounder Suzie Bates said Ben Sawyer had revealed to the White Ferns how much respect their Australian counterparts had for them.
"He thinks we don't see that as a group," Bates said.
"He thinks that when we put our team on paper, we match-up really well, and it's more about how they fear us as a team, which gives you a lot of confidence," she said.
"He obviously doesn't get too personal, but I'm sure if I got him over a few beers, he'd give some dirt."
The New Zealand side have lost three and won two of their warm-up matches since arriving in South Africa - crucially getting captain Sophie Devine back from injury for the last of those games.
However, Australia have not had a perfect preparation - upset by Ireland in their final practice match.
While the warm-up matches were useful, Bates admitted she had one eye on their tournament opener for a while now.
"As soon as we got to Cape Town, that game has been forefront of my mind and everything we've done has been about preparing for that," Bates said.
"It gives me goosebumps thinking about it. It's a massive first match," she said.
"We've had the wood on Australia in first games at world cups in the past, and I think it's the best time to play them sometimes."
Another senior White Fern, Maddy Green, picked hosts South Africa as a dark horse but said the usual suspects go in as favourites again.
"Australia, they've always been at the forefront of women's cricket," Green said.
"Current holders of the T20 World Cup, 50-over World Cup and the Commonwealth Games [gold]. They're probably the ones with the target on their back.
"India is a serious team. We've seen the growth in Indian women's cricket that's only going to explode after the women's [Indian Premier league] kicks off this year. England are another quality side."
New Zealand's Maddy Green and New Zealand's Amelia Kerr leave the field as the rain sets in. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
While the New Zealanders believed they could also put themselves in the mix, there would be no shortage of optimism in the Australian camp.
Despite their top billing, captain Meg Lanning insisted they were taking nothing for granted.
"T20 World Cups, in particular, are extremely hard to win. You need a lot to go right and you need to play your best cricket, because there's so many good teams who can take it away from you on any day.
"We are up for the challenge. We know it's going to be difficult but we're certainly coming here to win."
It starts with Sunday's opener against the White Ferns, which Lanning predicted would be an entertaining clash.
"We both know each other very well, We've played a lot of cricket with, and against, each other.
"Both teams will go out there and take the game on, and I'm sure everybody watching will enjoy the contest."
It was a contest which Bates was confident New Zealand could win - against a team whose trophy cabinet has been added to plenty of times in recent years.
"They're a quality side but with that comes pressure and expectation," Bates said.
"We know we've competed well with them recently. I thought at the Commonwealth Games, for the most part, we had them on the back foot," she said.
"We know when we put our best foot forward, we can beat them on any day."
The White Ferns are hoping Sunday's match - set to start at 6am (New Zealand time) - turns out to be one of those days.
- RNZ
