Cricket World Cup: Can South Africa's Bowlers Counter New Zealand's Batsmen?

It's not quite the unstoppable force meeting the immovable object but the New Zealand versus South Africa Cricket World Cup semi-final clash promises to be a truly heavyweight encounter.

In the black corner, the New Zealand top order has provided some of the most explosive hitting of this and any World Cup.

In the green and yellow corner are a battery of quality pacemen complemented by the best spinner in the tournament. Something has to give.

Given the way Trent Boult, Tim Southee and the Kiwi attack have performed, New Zealand's powerful batting hasn't been required to reach top gear too often. Martin Guptill is the only New Zealand batsman with a century in the competition.

When they have been called into action in a pressure situation, though, they have delivered.

Brendon McCullum is enough to give the South African bowlers a collective headache at Eden Park. Add Martin Guptill, fresh from his record-breaking double-century, and that headache could easily reach migraine proportions for AB de Villiers' side.

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WATCH: @BLACKCAPS' Martin Guptill made 237* against @WestIndies in their #CWC15 quarter-final: http://t.co/zpMlj2xjhG pic.twitter.com/2KSJ8LALUk

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) March 21, 2015"

Though Guptill is the only Kiwi batsman with an average of over at 44 this World Cup, the other batsmen have produced enough cameos to more than get by.

This New Zealand side has the happy knack of always finding someone to produce an important innings when required.

McCullum has provided a string of them at the top of the order. Kane Williamson was nerveless when it really mattered against Australia. Corey Anderson, Grant Elliott and Luke Ronchi all have strike rates of over 100. Even Daniel Vettori and Tim Southee at No. 8 and No. 9 respectively have cleared the rope when needed at the business end of innings.

Add a highly partisan home crowd into the mix and South Africa's reputation as chokers and the stage seems set for the Kiwis to reach the final. And yet.

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The difference between NZ the eternal semi finalist & the finalists/ champions in this WC could be Brendon Mc Cullum the captain.

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) March 21, 2015"

There are a couple of major questions facing New Zealand which will give the Proteas hope.

The only time New Zealand have really struggled in this tournament was batting against Australia's battery of fast bowlers in Auckland, which will host Tuesday's quarter-final.

They may not have quite the pace of Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Johnson and Pat Cummins, nor the left-arm variety but the South African attack comes a pretty close second.

If there is any movement on offer at Eden Park then Dale Steyn is likely to find it. Morne Morkel has the pace and bounce to trouble anyone when in the mood. If fit, Vernon Philander's metronomic control could be the perfect antidote to the Kiwi bashers.

Perhaps most intriguing, though, is Imran Tahir. The Kiwis are yet to come across a genuine wrist-spinner in the competition and in Tahir they'll face one in arguably the form of his life.

The 35-year-old is tied with Daniel Vettori on 15 wickets, the best by a spinner in the 2015 World Cup.

The rest of the attack doesn't look as strong and that may be where the game is won or lost. JP Duminy probably shocked even himself by taking a hat-trick against Sri Lanka in the quarter-final. The Kiwis will look to target his efficient off-spin.

Seamer Kyle Abbot has had his moments too but hasn't faced the threat that a McCullum/Guptill partnership can deliver.

Eden Park staged the best game of the tournament to date when New Zealand squeaked home by one wicket against Australia.

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Tuesday, 24 March it is! #NZ vs #SA. #cwc15 Semi-Final. Who's pumped?! Inspire the #ProteaFire! #NZvSA pic.twitter.com/9qlAzHslzU

— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) March 21, 2015"

It's probably too much to hope for something equally exciting on Tuesday. New Zealand have a habit of losing in World Cup semi-finals and South Africa's ability to somehow lose from seemingly impregnable positions is well documented.

Guptill, Steyn. McCullum, Morkel. Williamson, Tahir. These are players worthy of a global stage. Whoever wins these battles will go a long way to steering their side to the final. It looks like being an epic.

Statistics courtesy of ESPNcricinfo.