New Zealand versus Australia, the clash between in-form co-hosts and traditional fierce sporting rivals, is being billed as the biggest match to date in the Cricket World Cup.
But Black Caps coach Mike Hesson is taking a business as usual approach before the trans-Tasman encounter in Auckland on Saturday.
He doesn’t feel his own players’ excellent form in the tournament so far brings added pressure of expectation because “we don’t get caught up in the hype, really”.
“Our guys can read and they will read the paper sometimes, some of them more than others, but we’re a pretty grounded group,” he said.
“We just get on with doing the best we can every day. If we have a bad day, hopefully we can scrub up and come back the next day.”
Some of what the Black Caps will have read are comments coming out of the Australian camp.
Coach Darren Lehmann, having seen New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum plunder 77 off 25 balls against England, noted the extra pace that the Australian attack would bring.
Opener David Warner followed up with the view that if Australia bowled well to McCullum, it would create pressure and induce “a brain explosion”.
Hesson wasn’t too perturbed by the threat posed by the likes of Australian speedsters Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Johnson.
He said the Blacks Caps were used to facing express pace from one of their own, Adam Milne, in the nets.
“He bowls 150 [km/h] and we cope with that OK,” he said.
“Every side we play have got some different challenge and Australia have obviously got some guys who bowl some good gas, as do we, so it should a good game.”
New Zealand go into the match with a 3-0 record in the tournament, including big wins over Sri Lanka and England.
Because of the weather, Australia have been in action in only one of their two scheduled fixtures, producing a 111-run thumping of England on the opening day.
Hesson is reluctant to enter the debate over which team will head to Eden Park as favourites.
“For us, it doesn’t mean anything,” he said.
“We’re preparing against a side that are playing some pretty good cricket. We don’t really buy into favouritism or not. We just get on with it.”
New Zealand have fielded the same 11 in all three matches and Hesson indicated that there would be few if any changes against Australia.
“We’ve got another couple of trainings but the group that has been performing the last week has been doing a good job for us,” he said.
“Unlikely to be many [changes], but we just have to see how we scrub up closer to the end of the week.”
Prosenjit majumdar
Guest
I reckon new zealand will win this one..the short boundaries would just suit them more than aussie batsmen especially people like taylor n mcculum.
Clark
Guest
The thing is that Southee and Bout consistently bowl with excellent line and length whilst swinging it. Johnson and Starc are a little more inconsistent, which means a good ball may surprise the batsmen a bit. Guys like Southee, Boult, Anderson (Eng) and Philander put to bed this myth about speed being the only significant factor of bowling success. The fact of the matter is that this is International Cricket, everyone can play and everyone is expected to be able to hold a bat to 150km bowling. I don't see many players shying away from fast bowlers and it usually takes a good ball to get a top order batter out or to at least pressure a batsman into making questionable decisions.
Clark
Guest
Yeah for mine I would prefer they have 2 games a day every day, one in New Zealand and one in Australia then leave the bigger fixtures for the weekend.
VivGilchrist
Guest
They could maybe have teams playing more often than once a week, and organize a minimum of two games per day. Just a thought that took 3 seconds to think of by my 5y.o son.....
taylorman
Roar Guru
Well same goes if Oz lose...best in the world and they get beaten up? There's pressure on every game. This might have a little more sting to it but you are calling it as though its the final. Its a pool match, and win or lose, both sides will likely make the last 8. Its one game, and not the most important one in this tournament.
raz
Guest
india's bowling in odi s is most underrated. Mohd shami has been the highest wickettaker in odis for over a year and that too playing on flat pitches in india and he seems to have finally have hit some form after 3 months down under.Yadav can be difficult to get away too on days when he gets his act together. Ashwin has bowled excedingly well in the last two matches.Jadeja has looked better. If anyone other than aus and nz is gonna win this cup it ll be India. SA just cant see them doing it,they just loose the plot when pressure is on.SL have an outside chance,but they are too dependent on 2-3 key players. WI is no way getting farther than qf.
John
Roar Rookie
Starcs control of the swinging ball is not in the same ball park (excuse the pun) as Boult.
13th Man
Guest
WI won't go anywhere near the final. Gayle won't do that every game and they will lose against high quality sides. India have played well but I still feel there bowling is too weak to go all the way. SA and SL can win it, but they need to improve, SL were good today against bangladesh, but it was only bangladesh. SA need a confidence boosting win against the Windies tommorrow to get themselves back on track.
13th Man
Guest
Agree Chris NZ will have to face the swinging ball as well...... with an extra 10kms of pace. Still should make for a fantastic game of cricket. I think it will be high scoring. Going to be bold and predict Australia to score 320 with Maxwell making use of the short boundaries and scoring a ton. In reply NZ fall just short with Williamson also tonning up.
13th Man
Guest
The ICC couldn't really take tropical cyclone Marcia into account when they made the fixtures though.
Bobbo7
Guest
On the day any team can beat any team. NZ can win at the MCG if they get there as can India, SA, WI, SL. Only takes one or to players to have a day out to beat a superior team.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I'd say that if New Zealand win this match, as Australia's only match in New Zealand having not played in a fortnight while New Zealand have been playing there for ages, and then the two sides face off in the final, it won't affect Australia too much as they'd still fancy themselves with, by then, more matches under their belts and playing at home at the MCG. In contrast, if NZ can't win this match, with all the advantages people have trotted out, from the more matches, to the home ground advantage and all that, then it's hard to see how they can win the final at the MCG. As such, I think this is much more important for NZ than Australia. These two will likely finish 1, 2 in the group regardless and this match will just sort out that order, and it likely won't make much difference to whether they can make the final, but I'm sure there is plenty of pressure there to show that they aren't just beating up on teams that are really pretty weak at the moment, but truly deserve to be one of the favourites for the tournament.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Everyone is vulnerable against the hooping ball early though. And Starc has shown that he can get the white ball hooping around at pace as well as anyone. So if there are really good swinging conditions, the Aussies aren't the only ones who'll be vulnerable. While Southee's obviously been bowling well, I reckon most batsmen would prefer to face Southee's 135km/h swingers than Starc's 150km/h swingers if the ball is hooping everywhere. Whoever is bowling it can often just come down to a couple of balls. If the batsman can middle a couple of reasonably good balls and get them to the fence, it can really put the pressure on the bowler and make it hard for them to work out where to put the ball, and suddenly their line and length is all over the place and they become even easier to hit (cue footage of England's bowling against New Zealand). If the same balls manage to beat the edge or take the edge, then the batsmen become more wary, less likely to attack those balls, and the bowler is able to keep bowling well in the areas they want to bowl which gives them more chance to get you out. I've always found there is no better way to put off a good opening bowler who's bowling good line and length than dancing down the pitch and hitting him back over his head for 6. They often then struggle to know where to put the next ball. It works with cricketers of all levels.
SP
Guest
So where's the pressure? From many quarters - themselves, the crowd, the country. The players aren't deaf or illiterate. They would have heard and read the statements about them being the best NZ team ever, or how they are one of the favourites for the title. Sure, they may not agree with those statements but many others do. The pressure is on the Black Caps to make a statement by beating the number 1 side and proving their credentials. If Australia romp to an easy victory in NZ's backyard will they be able to just brush it off?
jameswm
Guest
Chris - totally agree that will be the Aussie mindset. If the Aussies can belt the Kiwis, they will be a big statemet to every team in the tournament. Aussies are certainly vulnerable, esp the hooping ball early.
BBA
Guest
While I wouldnt agree with no pressure, as there is alaways pressure to perform well, and more so with a large crowd and big occaision. However the pressure on this game will be nothing once we get to the quarter finals.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Yes, there's probably not a lot that you'd take from this match into a possible final at the MCG. Possibly you'd think that if NZ can't win this match, with the momentum they've got, Australia having to fly over to NZ having not played any matches in NZ and short of recent match practice, then they'd probably be hard-pressed to beat Australia in the final, while even if NZ won this, if Australia then faced them in the final having gone back to Australia and won everything else on the way to the final, they wouldn't be too worried about what happened at Eden Park. That being said, Australia would definitely want to win this match. I can't see them coming out and taking it a bit easy, thinking that it doesn't really matter whether they win it or not. They will want make a statement here, put NZ in their place, and show that nobody else should be sharing the favouritism for the WC, that Australia should be the stand-alone favourites. The question is, will they be able to do this, or can NZ spoil the party!
taylorman
Roar Guru
Na. no pressure. Whats the worse that can happen? Lose? Well we've done that before, especially to Oz. We would still be on to finish first or second and are near certain to be in the quarters and after Oz we will have met as good as it gets for any remaining matches. So wheres the pressure?
SP
Guest
i think the pressure/expectation is on NZ whether they like it or not. They have all the advantage going into this game - playing regularly (no extended break like the Australians), 3 resounding wins on the trot and they are playing at home in front of what apparently will be a rabid and partisan crowd. They should be favourites for this match and should be expecting to win. If Australia can get up against them at home, it will plant the seed of doubt into their minds. Australia have the most to gain from this match.
jameswm
Guest
NZ at home, ball likely to hoop around, NZ on a roll, Aussies haven't played for ages and short of match practice. Odds are certainly in NZ's favour. Might be different if the two sides face off in a final at the MCG though.