Daniel Vettori is the Black Caps’ most experienced one-day international cricketer, but he’s a relative novice when it comes to the present-day Eden Park.
The 36-year-old left-arm spinner has played 289 matches and taken 296 wickets, both New Zealand ODI records.
But he has yet to bowl at the ground in its present unusual lay-out, with its short straight boundaries, and he has been looking to teammate Nathan McCullum for tips.
“I’ve only played on the old configuration and it will be a new experience for me,” Vettori said on Thursday.
“I’ve been been talking to Nathan a lot about what he has done here. He’s done a pretty good job and spinners at times have done a reasonable job.
“I think the boundaries are daunting but you can still perform.”
The clash between World Cup hosts New Zealand and Australia at the venue on Saturday has been billed the match of the tournament so far.
Eden Park has been sold out and Vettori said the Black Caps would have profited from their experience at a similarly packed ground last Friday, when they thumped England in Wellington.
He cited the way the fans chanted Tim Southee’s name as the seamer went on the take a New Zealand record 7-33.
“The big crowd there was amazing,” he said.
“I think it will be a continuation of that. I don’t think there will be much difference in the way we go about things. We just look forward to Saturday rather than fear it.”
With both sides being reluctant to make a call on who are favourites, Vettori quipped: “New Zealanders would be unhappy if we didn’t take the underdog status – it’s something we’ve held on to for a long time.”
But the former Black Caps skipper added: “It’s really irrelevant all that talk. All that matters is the conversation after the game.”
While Black Caps all-rounder Corey Anderson said the match would be the biggest of his 29-game ODI career, Vettori’s greater experience leaves him with a different perspective.
“World Cup semi-finals are the biggest games I’ve played in and being involved in the Champions Trophy final,” he said.
“It’s just how much is on it. The knock-out stages are where it matters.
“This is going to be an amazing game and an amazing event and will decide, I suppose, who tops the table, but there’s still a lot more round-robin games to decide that as well.”
Meanwhile, Southee threw a scare in the Black Caps camp when he was hit on the back of the shoulder by a stray cricket ball during fielding practice and left the field.
However, the incident was understood to have been minor and not affect his availability for the match.
