Cricket World Cup: Nerve-wracking time for Black Caps' parents

Tim Southee's parents Joanne and Murray. Photo / Tania Webb

It's not only the players who will wake up with frayed nerves this morning ahead of today's Cricket World Cup semifinal at Eden Park.

There's their families to think about, too.

Peter Guptill has the day off work. Photo / Jason Oxenham.

Martin Guptill's father, Peter, was due to work today. But following his son's double-ton performance on Saturday, he's managed to get the day off after getting a couple of tickets from Guptill Jr. Mr Guptill, a truck driver, expected to finish work about 3am today then catch some sleep before heading to the game.

But the nerves were kicking in.

"Oh, I'm always nervous. Probably more nervous than when I played my own cricket, but there's nothing you can do about it - you've got to leave it for someone else to do."

He planned to take his sister, Raewyn Thomas, along to the match.

Jan Henderson, Martin's mother, was taking a television into work today so she could catch a bit of the action. The manager of a functions and accessories company said her son's explosive performance on Saturday was "very exciting to say the least".

She hadn't been to any of the matches so far, but was happy to watch them from the comfort of home.

Tim Southee's parents, Joanne and Murray, will be in the crowd with Tim's older siblings, Mark and Jane, and brother-in-law David Croucher.

Mrs Southee said they had only missed the Black Caps' Wellington trouncing of England.

As for what's going to happen, she was keeping an open mind.

"It's all very exciting. We just keep riding the roller coaster," she said.

"I think we probably feel [the nerves] more than they do. They just play the game and we're probably the ones that get worked up more than they do.

"At least they've got this far and what happens after this is a bonus. They've done well when you look at the sides that have gone home."

Mr Southee hoped for the win and if they cracked it, the proud parents would be heading across the Ditch to cheer their son on.

He thought his son's rural aptitude had helped him keep a level head in the high-pressure situations.

Stu McCullum thought he'd better get some work done today. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Sales rep Stu McCullum had managed to make two of son Brendon's games but thought he'd better get some work done today.

However, he was hoping to catch some of the game throughout the day.

- Additional reporting: NZME.