They've been the main reason for the Black Caps being able to savour five Cricket World Cup victories to date, but the New Zealand bowling unit are about to get a taste of what will be required to win the World Cup, report agencies.
Having reduced an in-form Australian top order to 92-5, only for the game to slip away with one partnership and a resulting avalanche of dot balls, the Black Caps bowlers are now tasked with the even more daunting prospect of having to restrict an imposing England batting outfit.
England have passed 310 on five occasions at the tournament, and the New Zealand bowlers will be attempting to restrain their cavalry of hitters on a Chester-le-Street ground at which Sri Lanka and the West Indies just combined for 653 runs. And, having just pasted the Indian bowling attack to reach 337-7 and stay in the box seat for a semifinal spot, it's an England batting unit which are back to their best, and back to full strength, with devastating opener Jason Roy having recovered from a hamstring injury.
It's an enormously aggressive approach, but one which the Black Caps are hoping to counter with their own hostility.
"We've spent a lot of time looking at their play over the last couple of years, they're a real aggressive team and come out and try and put you on the back foot straight away," analysed Black Caps all-rounder Jimmy Neesham.