Cricket World Cup: Black Caps can handle pressure says Conrad Smith

Hurricanes skipper Conrad Smith can relate to any pressure the Black Caps are feeling this week.

Smith was part of the All Blacks' World Cup-winning side in 2011 when they claimed the title that had eluded them since 1987. The All Blacks are put under a higher level of scrutiny than any New Zealand sports team but expectations are growing around the Black Caps, who meet the West Indies in their Cricket World Cup quarter-final in Wellington on Saturday.

Black Caps spinner Daniel Vettori said yesterday that playing at home had proved relaxing for his side during the early stages of the tournament, given they were in familiar surroundings rather than being stuck in a hotel in a foreign country.

But the stress levels were likely to rise, particularly if New Zealand could push their way to the semifinals next week.

Smith, who will be in the crowd at Wellington Regional Stadium this weekend, said playing at a World Cup in your homeland was the height of pressure for the All Blacks.

"It was a very intense seven or eight weeks and I think it was hard to relax," Smith said of the 2011 tournament. "We couldn't go anywhere without seeing the silver fern flags waving from every building and we were getting standing ovations going into restaurants and things like that. It was cool but every time you were reminded: 'Man, we need to win this thing.' So it wasn't really relaxing at all."

Smith, an avid cricketer in his younger years, said the Black Caps were likely to call on what had served them well in the past when the heat went on.

"My cricketing days are long behind me," he noted. "But it's certainly obvious from being through that experience, there's a certain amount of expectation and it can do funny things to you. But I'm sure they'll just trust what's got them through so far and no matter the pressure, they'll just go back to the things that have worked for them and I'm sure they'll be fine."

Before Smith can worry about watching any cricket, he has a game of his own to play tomorrow in Super Rugby when the unbeaten Hurricanes meet the in-form Highlanders in Dunedin.