Cricket World Cup: Black Caps cool, calm, confident

Daniel Vettori's gentle chiding that the idea of boxes needing a tick ahead of the Afghanistan game on Sunday existed only in media minds. Photo / Getty Images

Just keep winning seems to be the mantra for the Black Caps as quarter-finals loom.

If you take the senior New Zealand cricket figures at their word, they have barely a care in the world right now.

In a sense that's fine.

After all, they've played five World Cup games, won them all - and all bar one by a distance - and the highest score put up by opponents is 233. Life is good as they charge towards the quarter-final in Wellington on March 21.

Witness coach Mike Hesson's remark yesterday, when asked if a small part of him would like to see his bowlers extended as preparation for the knockout stages, and the toughest games of the cup: "I'm quite happy chasing 150."

Or Daniel Vettori's gentle chiding that the idea of boxes needing a tick ahead of the Afghanistan game on Sunday existed only in media minds. Just keep winning seems to be the mantra.

Maybe things can get over-complicated at times.

Forget the idea that certain batsmen aren't in the pink of form, or others could benefit from a decent length of time at the crease. Keep doing the business and everything will take care of itself.

If New Zealand rattle along with their admirably positive philosophy and lift the World Cup in Melbourne on March 29, they might fancy giving a "yah boo sucks" to those who ponder issues as mundane as form and opportunity.

Bangladesh loom as the fifth and final group A opponents at Seddon Park on Friday.

They're a decent side and, as Hesson acknowledged yesterday, have given New Zealand plenty of gyp in their own conditions.

However - and assuming the illness that struck a handful of players yesterday clears up - expect the same approach to be taken.

And if that means the middle order get precious little time at the crease, or the support bowlers aren't required, so be it.

But it's worth remembering that among the middle-lower order, Ross Taylor has faced just 90 balls in five matches, scoring 53 runs; Grant Elliott 94 for 77 runs; wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi only six overs for 47.Dan Vettori has faced sevenballs, Adam Milne five, Trent Boult two - albeit very important balls, against Australia - and Tim Southee one.

The bowlers have done their job too well, and you can scarcely ask them to ease off. Nor can it be suggested to Kane Williamson, young greedy guts with 182 balls faced,or Brendon McCullum with 239, to allow the others a turn. That makes no sense.

The four leading bowlers, Southee, Boult, Vettori and Adam Milne, have delivered 172.4 overs collectively, and taken 42 of the 50 wickets New Zealand have picked up in their five games.

Golden arm allrounder Corey Anderson has taken the other eight from only 17.1 overs. Support bowlers Elliott and Williamson have barely been required, with four overs between them.

Afghanistan's innings of 186 lasted 47.4 overs, the longest time New Zealand have been kept in the field in the cup.

The game will step up a gear after Friday. As Vettori said: "Get through to the quarter-final stage and that's where it really starts."

New Zealand's firm message is that they're fine, all is well, and they will simply keep rolling along.

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