New Zealand cricket coach Mike Hesson has commended his side's capacity for handling pressure in chasing the country's highest World Cup total last night, but acknowledged their bowling and fielding needs work.
He said having a winning team means they have started to be scrutinised in All Black-like terms.
"The
All Blacks are a good analogy. They have to win by a certain amount of points to get respect but, if they win by more than that, the opposition are 'rubbish' - it's quite hard to find middle ground.
"I'm not sure what a perfect win is because we've beaten a lot of teams convincingly and we've been told we needed a closer one, otherwise we might be underdone. Then you win a close game and [get told] you haven't played very well. In all honesty it's quite difficult to know what you have to do."
In 76 completed World Cup matches across 40 years, the 290 for seven to beat Bangladesh in Hamilton with seven balls to spare eclipsed 253-run chases against India in 1999 and Zimbabwe in 2003.
The victory in their final pool match was arguably perfect preparation for the knock-out phase. The result left New Zealand undefeated and Bangladesh with an almost certain quarter-final against India. The result broke Bangladesh's seven-match ODI winning streak between the countries.
"Any time you chase 290, in conditions that weren't ideal against a subcontinental team, is really good, although I don't think we were as good in the field or with the ball as we have been.
"We've won a lot of games comfortably but last night we were challenged. To get the victory with different players standing up breeds confidence. It turned a lot and was slow. It was always going to be challenge but to chase 290 shows we are pretty decent against spin.
"I'm pleased with the way we're tracking to win the pool as convincingly as we have."
In conceding 288 for seven, the hosts learnt their bowling attack is not invincible. That was compensated by Martin Guptill (105 from 100 balls), Ross Taylor (56 from 97 balls), Grant Elliott (39 from 33 balls) and Corey Anderson (39 off 26 balls) gaining valuable batting time after the early loss of Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson.
As a whole it wasn't the hosts' best fielding. Anderson's dropped slip catch, with Mahmudullah on one and facing his third ball, was an example.
Mitchell McClenaghan could be afforded sympathy with none for 68 from eight overs as a late replacement for Adam Milne who rested his injured shoulder. McClenaghan was a victim of compensating for the difference between net and match bowling.
Even Vettori endured rare punishment. His first seven overs conceded 19 runs; his last three overs went for 23.
Boult also struggled after dismissing the openers and bowling three maidens to start. His last seven gifted eight-an-over.
Conversely Anderson produced one of his better 10-over spells, taking two for 43.
