If social media is to be believed, England's players have been enjoying themselves in Wellington. Several have been spotted in bars and restaurants.

When good neighbours become good friends. Perhaps not on Saturday at Eden Park when New Zealand and Australia renew a rivalry which, in one-day cricket, has been in hibernation apart from at global tournaments since 2010.

West Indies played the role of punching bags for AB de Villiers and his team during their recent bilateral series in South Africa

There is a remarkable similarity in the route Afghanistan and Scotland have taken in this tournament so far. They registered big wins against each other in the two games they played in the UAE this January.

Ireland and the UAE represent two sides of the Associate coin. The Irish have emerged as the tightest unit outside the Full Members, many of their players fully professional via the English system, and their record at ICC events conspicuous for its gallantry. The UAE are a little more problematic, having never won a World Cup match in two appearances 19 years apart, their ranks occupied by journeymen amateurs of largely subcontinental origin.

Scotland face England in the 14th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 at Christchurch.

Much talk before the opening World Cup game was of how Sri Lanka lift themselves for global tournaments

The 10,000-plus people who turned up to create a raucous atmosphere in Canberra gave Bangladesh a little taste of home. But the players were far from known conditions against Afghanistan and will be even further away in Brisbane

If England thought life would be any easier once they left Melbourne, they had best think again. The Westpac Stadium - The Cake Tin, as it is known to locals - may not have the capacity of the MCG, but 33,000 passionate New Zealand supporters will ensure the atmosphere remains just as hostile.

Mashrafe Mortaza was optimistic of receiving backing from the stands during the match, but Bangladesh's form in the warm-ups has not generated the same confidence. The loss to Pakistan, albeit close, was not unexpected but the defeat to Ireland would have hurt. Bangladesh have trained hard post those losses, and Mortaza appreciated the efforts put in by his players.

After a bumpy ride, Scotland Tuesday meet hosts New Zealand which thrashed Sri Lanka in the tournament opener.

Since their heroics in the Caribbean in 2007, Ireland have continued to sit atop the second rung of international sides, so much so that they now, in ODIs at least, find themselves in a separate little group alongside Afghanistan with an enhanced position in the rankings. That is crucial for the next World Cup in 2019, but their one focus at the moment is to use this tournament as a base to highlight the folly that the game's biggest global event is shrinking and the fact they largely continue to be ignored by the Full Members.

While India would try to seek fortune when it meet old foes Pakistan, the latter would try to break jinx of playing against the rival neighbour.

Of the six previous meetings against England in World Cup competition, Australia has won four, including the final in 1987. But as it heads into what is the opening game for both teams, in front of a capacity crowd of 90,000 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, it’s one of those losses that will make Australia wary given its status as pre-tournament favourite.

As New Zealand arrive, wanting only to sustain their success, confident the bowlers will not lose their lines, and lifted by the feeling that someone in the top seven will always find a way to fire, Sri Lanka are scrambling around, searching for that spark that will set their campaign alight. In past world tournaments, the visitors have found it in unlikely places.

Blessed with a heady mix of experience and youth Sri Lanka is among the top sides coming into the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena will join hands for the last time to plot Sri Lanka’s World Cup campaign.