New Zealand's pool for the World Cup in 2003 will depend on how the side does in the tri-series with Sri Lanka and India next month, and its One-Day Internationals with Pakistan in September.

If the draw was made today, New Zealand would be in the same section as: South Africa, Sri Lanka, England, Bangladesh, Kenya and the third-placed team from the ICC Trophy tournament starting in Toronto later this week.

On the other side of the draw would be: Australia, Pakistan, India, the West Indies, Zimbabwe and the first and second-placed teams from the ICC Trophy.

The final pool allocations could be significant in the hunt for the $US5million up for grabs by the leading sides.

International captains have been asked to recommend a suitable breakdown of prizemoney for the tournament.

New Zealand coach David Trist, who will stand down from his position in September, said that sort of draw would be "wonderful" from New Zealand's view.

"South Africa are the host team with the advantage of playing at home and it would be good to play them early in the tournament.

"Sri Lanka have a poor record away from home, particularly when playing on bouncy wickets as we have seen and England, well, we all know about them.

"It would be excellent," he said.

The final draw of pools and games will be made at the end of October while countries will be allocated a South African base on August 20.

The opening match of the tournament will be on February 7 in Cape Town and will involve South Africa, and the final will be played in Johannesburg on Wednesday, March 19.

On all but two of the 22 days of the preliminary pool group round two matches will be played.

In the Super Six round the nine matches will be played over nine days. Semifinals will be played in Port Elizabeth on Friday, March 14 and Durban on March 15.

The news that most of New Zealand's games were likely to be day matches, to suit television coverage potential in New Zealand would be advantageous.

"At night you can struggle with the elements in the form of dew. It is an imponderable and it makes what to do at the toss a difficult one.

"But New Zealand will have a matured team by then and it will be ready with depth and quality in the side," he said.

Matches have been categorised. The 24 category A matches, those involving the Super Six games, the semis and the final as well as pool matches involving South Africa and Sri Lanka will be played at the six Test match centres.

In category B there are 18 pool matches, mainly those by Test nations against the three Associate Members and Kenya will be played at six non-Test grounds while the four category C matches between the Association Members will be played at Test match centres to allow the associate players to play on South Africa's famous Test match grounds.

© 2001 CricInfo Ltd