New Zealand cricket team coach Mike Hesson believes that there would be no baggage with either his side or their World Cup semifinal opponents, South Africa, and feels that it is going to be a heck of a show when the two sides lock horns on Tuesday to book a place in the tournament's final.
South Africa have been installed bookmakers' favourites for Tuesday's Cricket World Cup semifinal. One of them would contest their first final, with South Africa never having made a tournament decider since their entry in 1992, while New Zealand lost all six of their semifinals, the most recent to Sri Lanka four years ago.
Hesson said that he doesn't believe that there's any baggage with anyone, adding that it's a one-off game and they are all desperate to be at the big party and he is sure that they would both turn up, insisting that the two sides are playing good cricket and it's going to be a heck of a show, Stuff.co.nz reported.
The New Zealand coach said that there were a few niggles in his team as they boarded the plane to Auckland after their 143-run win over West Indies where opener Martin Guptill stole the show with a stunning 237 off 163 balls. But he added that no-one's fitness was causing concern, suggesting that the familiar top-11 would back up again.
Last time the sides met in ODIs was in October in New Zealand when South Africa swept New Zealand aside 2-0 in Tauranga, with the third game washed out. New Zealand were without Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor and were at the start of a six-month campaign.
Hesson claimed that South Africa had hit them pretty hard early and his side didn't respond very well and added that they are obviously a bit more match hardened now.