Kyle Mills: We can win the World Cup

Kane Williamson is developing into a truly world-class player. Photo / Getty

With creative and seasoned batsmen, a fine wicketkeeper and classy bowlers, the NZ camp is quietly confident

We have a real chance at this World Cup.

After all the training, preparation and talk, the World Cup is only seven days away and all the boys are fizzing at the prospect of playing on home soil. After a successful summer against Sri Lanka and Pakistan there is a quiet confidence in the group, but we are also very mindful that we are up against the world's best teams and we need to be at our best. New Zealand have reached the semifinals on six occasions and we will be giving it our all to make the final in Melbourne on March 29. We are taking nothing for granted. It feels like we have the personnel to do it - from experienced, attacking and creative batsmen to a fine wicketkeeper, terrific spinners and a bowling group who have great variety - and that's not something we could have said about previous teams.

I can't remember going into a World Cup before with so much depth, particularly in the bowling department. Even outside the squad of 15, you can rattle off a few players who you would feel comfortable about being in the starting XI of a World Cup game.

One of the crucial things about our batsmen, apart from the fact Kane Williamson is developing into a truly world-class player, is that both Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor are in their 30s and have played hundreds of games and performed at that level. If you look at teams who have won World Cups in the past, they have had very experienced batsmen.

We are pretty proud of the fact we have won our two most recent series at home, in the conditions we are going to contend with over the next couple of months. Sri Lanka have played in the past two World Cup finals and have some really classy individuals, so to beat them 4-2 was nice. Then to back that up and pretty much thump Pakistan in two games was really pleasing.

It obviously means there's a lot of hype building around us but we are really conscious of trying to keep things in perspective because it's such a long tournament and can be a rollercoaster. We are going to make a conscious effort to take it game-by-game and get to the quarter-finals and then it's a matter of winning three games of cricket.

The first thing to do is start the tournament well against Sri Lanka next Saturday. The Australia game at Eden Park on February 28 is also a big one for us because it has the potential to replicate the atmosphere of a quarter-final or semifinal.

It might be difficult to believe but we have barely spoken about the World Cup as a group because we have been playing so much cricket lately. There's certainly been an awareness it's been in the background but it's not until you start talking to family, friends and people you meet in the street that you realise what is just around the corner.

That will probably change today when we meet as a squad in Christchurch which, for me, signals the end of the buildup and the fact the World Cup is finally upon us.

I'm excited, not nervous. I have played in a number of major tournaments but never at home so I'm excited to play here against the world's best and in conditions we're familiar with and comfortable in.

I'm sure once the event kicks off there will be a lot of pressure and expectation, which is fine. It's just something as a group and individuals we have to deal with but we have the experience and personnel to cope.

Brendon and Mike Hesson have played big roles in creating the right environment.

Brendon has a leadership style that is very much team first. If you look at the way he puts himself up and down the order, it's a clear message that you have to do everything you can for the team, no matter what type of player you are and that has filtered through the group.

Mike Hesson tries to create a very relaxed environment in which players are encouraged to play their natural games. In the past, there might have been restrictions on batsmen and bowlers around how they should play.

The message from Mike is that, "we back you and, if you make a mistake, you're not going to be dragged over the hot coals". That gives the guys confidence to go and play. It's what you do when you play club cricket, then your natural ability gets you to the next level. You never want to take away a cricketer's flair and that's the environment we have.

We still have game plans and a blueprint but it's up to the individual out in the middle to help us get to those points. They can do it by playing their style of cricket.

From a bowling perspective, it's a matter of not being afraid to try something because, what's the worst that can happen? Getting hit for six? Well, I have been hit for six plenty of times.

In many ways, this week's practice games against Zimbabwe and the South Africans will be a challenge.

I'm ready. We're ready. It's time to play.

Our World Cup team

• David Leggat NZ Herald
• Dylan Cleaver NZ Herald
• Andrew Alderson Herald on Sunday
• Mark Greatbatch Former international batsman
• Jacob Oram Former international allrounder
• Kyle Mills New Zealand bowler
• Paul Ford Beige Brigade
• Mark Richardson Former international batsman