The Wellington Stadium is a happy hunting ground for the Black Caps - and coach Mike Hesson believes it is because they understand the nuances of the venue.
Black Caps coach Mike Hesson. Photo: Photosport
Of the 22 completed matches New Zealand have played at the venue, they've won 15.
They've played the West Indies there three times and won all of those matches, although the last time the two sides played an ODI in Wellington was five years ago.
Hesson says the pitch has certainly changed over that time.
"It's got an unusual bounce. I don't want to give too much away in terms of what the bounce is but it's a different surface ... it's a drop in [pitch] and it's had a big gap underneath it and now it's got shingle rubble, whatever, underneath so it bounces a little bit differently to what it has in the past, so that takes a little while to get used to."
Despite their unbeaten run at the tournament so far, Hesson says the side is well aware their tournament could come to an end in the knockout phase this weekend.
He says they're not preparing for this match any differently to their other games.
"We realise when you get to this point of the tournament, and we've been trying pretty hard to get here and played some pretty good cricket along the way, it's now about fronting up and continuing to be diligent with our preparation."
Meanwhile, fast bowler Adam Milne appears to have recovered from the shoulder injury which kept him out of the Black Caps' final pool match against Bangladesh in Hamilton last week.
Black Caps bowler Adam Milne Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Milne had a full bowling session in the Basin Reserve nets this afternoon and followed that up with a bat.
Hesson expects him to be fit for Saturday's match.
Milne is likely to replace Mitchell McClenaghan in the playing eleven for the match after McClenaghan, who was playing his first match of the tournament, had an expensive bowling spell in Hamilton.
