Kiwis are wary of Windies
Wellington, March 19: New Zealand all-rounder Grant Elliott said they had paid little notice to South Africa’s overwhelming victory against Sri Lanka as they prepared for their own World Cup quarterfinal against the West Indies.
The winner of the New Zealand-West Indies clash in Wellington on Saturday will play South Africa in the semifinals in Auckland next Tuesday.
The Proteas were in imperious form as they crushed Sri Lanka by nine wickets in the first quarterfinal on Wednesday, but South Africa-born Elliott insisted he hardly noticed.
“I didn’t watch too much. I saw it was quite a convincing win from them,” he said of South Africa’s dominant display at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
“We’ll concentrate on this game (against the West Indies) and if we do get to the semifinal then we’ll have a look at their team and scout them accordingly.”
Elliott, born in Johannesburg, said his South African heritage would have no bearing on
New Zealand face the West Indies in the quarterfinals on Saturday, with the winner taking on South Africa in the semifinal at Auckland
how he would feel if New Zealand played the Proteas in the semifinals.
“I’ll just approach it as I would any other game,” said Elliott, who played provincial cricket in South Africa before emigrating to New Zealand in 2001.
“Our squad is here to try and win the World Cup as is every other team,” he said before repeating that the Black Caps’ focus was on the West Indies.
“It’s a strong West Indies team and a crunch game. Everyone has got their match-winners so it’s about scouting this team and going about our business in exactly the same way as we’ve approached every other game.”
But Elliott revealed that if he was called up into the attack, it meant New Zealand were struggling in the field. “Generally, if I am bowling we are not doing too well as a unit and we need a breakthrough,” he said.
“But if we continue the way Trent (Boult), Timmy (Southee) and Dan (Vettori) have gone about the business I shouldn’t need to bowl too many (overs).” — AFP