New Zealand beat Zimbabwe 2-0 in a two-Test series earlier this year. They won the first by 10 wickets as Craig McMillan scored 139. The second Test was won by an innings and 13 runs, the Kiwis piling up 460 - Matthew Horne making 157 and Nathan Astle 114 - and then shooting out Zimbabwe for 170 and 277.

The Kiwis also won the one-day series 4-1. Last October they had beat Zimbabwe in the mini World Cup in Bangladesh, through a last ball four.

1999 WORLD CUP RESULTS

New Zealand : lost to Pakistan by 62 runs, beat Australia by five wickets, lost to the West Indies by seven wickets, beat Bangladesh by six wickets, beat Scotland by six wickets.

Zimbabwe : lost to England by seven wickets, beat India by three runs, lost to Sri Lanka by four wickets, beat Kenya by five wickets: beat South Africa by 48 runs.

ver boundary by Chris Harris.

PREVIOUS WORLD CUPS

New Zealand have beaten Zimbabwe in all their three World Cup meetings, including two victories in 1987. At Hyderabad in India. New Zealand overcame a superb 142 by current Zimbabwe coach Dave Houghton to win by three runs. The second win at Calcutta's Eden Gardens was by four wickets, with 14 balls to spare. In 1992, the Kiwis won by 48 runs at home in Napier as Zimbabwe, set a revised target of 153 off 18 overs, managed only •105 for seven in a rain-affected game.

VENUE

Headingley. One of the oldest Test venues, a little cramped but generates a good atmosphere. County side Yorkshire tried to leave the venue two years ago for a new ground but have decided to stay and renovate current site. Don Bradman scored 309 runs in a day here in 1948.

Capacity: 14,750 (AFP)