Fiery Boult key to New Zealand charge

In 1999, a New Zealand left-arm quick shared top spot among the World Cup wicket-takers alongside Shane Warne. However, until Warne's late push, where he claimed eight scalps across the semi-final and final as Australia peaked to win the title, it looked certain that Geoff Allott would stand alone at the top.

Currently, in 2015, another New Zealand left-arm quick stands top of the tally just ahead of an Australian. There could yet be another tie between two Tasman rivals but right now Trent Boult has taken the baton back after his four-wicket haul against West Indies. Somebody could sneak up on the rails during the final three matches, perhaps Mohammad Shami, but it appears like a head-to-head to finish at the top between Boult and Mitchell Starc. It could come down to the World Cup final at the MCG for the battle between the two men who lit up the group match at Eden Park.

Allott's 20 wickets remain a New Zealand record at the World Cup. Boult is currently one behind and it would be a surprise if he did not set a new mark, even if New Zealand's campaign ends with the semi-final in Auckland. Recently, in an interview with Subash Jayaraman for the Cricket Couch series, Dion Nash said New Zealand "blew it" in 1999 when they lost to Pakistan in the semi-final at Old Trafford. Given the form of the 2015 unit, especially after the way they dispatched West Indies in Wellington, there would be a similar feeling if the final eluded them for a seventh time.

Although this New Zealand side has been talked up as their greatest team, there are some similarities with the 1999 crop. In that side, there was a strong batting order and a varied bowling attack, led by Allott and also including Nash and Chris Cairns - well suited to English conditions. As an aside, that was also Daniel Vettori's first World Cup but he did not play a match.

Allott began that tournament with a bang, taking back-to-back four-wicket hauls against Australia and Pakistan highlighted by toe-crushing yorkers; after five games he had 17 wickets before tailing off a little which allowed Warne to equal his mark.

In contrast, Boult has hustled up the wicket-taking chart after a merely steady start of five wickets in the opening three matches. Since then he has surged, and so has the team.

Now he returns to the scene of his finest one-day performance, for the semi-final against South Africa. Last month, he toppled Australia with 5 for 27, bursting through their middle order with brisk swing bowling. While that remains the stand-out display, it has been his consistency throughout the tournament that has seen him top of the tree.

Tim Southee's returns have diminished since taking 7 for 33 against England - from that moment he has four wickets in 37 overs at an economy rate of 6.51 - but Boult has remained accurate and penetrative. He chipped out 3 for 34 against Afghanistan, 2 for 56 against Bangladesh, during which his first three overs were maidens, and then 4 for 44 in the quarter-final against West Indies.

The display in Wellington, although overshadowed by Martin Guptill's record-breaking innings, encapsulated all that makes Boult a wonderful bowler. Pace, swing and stamina were on display as he bowled his 10 overs straight through at the behest of Brendon McCullum.

Johnson Charles was cleaned up as he moved towards the leg side, before Lendl Simmons was lured by a full delivery and edged to slip the ball after driving a six. Marlon Samuels' wicket should entirely be credited to Daniel Vettori after his gravity-defying hang-time at third man to pluck out an upper cut, but then it was all Boult's work as he pinned Denesh Ramdin lbw to grab his 19th tournament scalp and jump back ahead of Starc.

Amid the wickets there was also a pinpoint yorker that jammed into Chris Gayle's boot. Boult is a bowler at the peak of his powers, the ball is doing exactly what he wants. It is a precious skill. And this, too, from a bowler who was only drafted into white-ball cricket shortly before the World Cup having been preserved for Test duty amid doubts whether he was versatile enough for the short format.

He has made the most of home conditions, but the ball has not moved in the hands of all swing bowlers the way it has for Boult. Just ask James Anderson who could barely get the ball off straight. In the quarter-final, Jerome Taylor, who has been known to hoop the odd delivery in his time, was gun-barrel straight.

Boult's return to the one-day side, after a gap of 18 months, came against his next opponents, South Africa, during the early-season series which New Zealand lost 2-0. Boult claimed four wickets in the two matches he played, but conceded 70 runs in the second game. However, there is a more recent meeting where Boult's memories of facing South Africa are far more positive.

In New Zealand's last warm-up match before the World Cup, he bagged 5 for 51, skimming through South Africa's top order with the swing that has become his trademark. Scalps of Rilee Rossouw, Faf du Plessis, David Miller and JP Duminy were a handy quartet to dislodge regardless of whether their hearts were really in the practice contest. Do not put it past him producing a repeat performance in a match that matters a lot more.