Cricket World Cup final: Gameday Diary

Photo / Brett Phibbs

You think you’re nervous ahead of today’s game? Kyle Mills gives fans an exclusive insight into what will be going on in the Black Caps’ camp in the lead-up to this afternoon’s final.

9am: Breakfast

Breakfast is normally quite late for a day/night game. The players will head down in their own time and eat plenty of carbohydrates and drink lots of fluid. There will be a little bit of chatter around the tables but some players will be reasonably quiet as they think about the game ahead.

11am: Physio table

All the strapping is done in the physio's room in the hotel. It could be shoulders, knees, backs; whatever needs support.

Noon: Bus

Normally the bus is a fairly vibrant place, and Trent Boult takes care of the music. But the bus ride to the game is usually a quiet place. It's about only 10 minutes to the MCG from the Black Caps' hotel and most of the players will be in their own zone listening to their iPods.

12.15pm: Arrival at ground

When the players get to the ground, they will go into the dressing room to sort out their gear. Their playing uniforms will be laid out ready for them to change into closer to the game.

Lunch will be provided and some players will tuck into it straight away. Others will go out on to the field to get a feel for the conditions and soak it all in. Some of the bowlers will mark out their run-ups while some batsman will have throw-downs with some of the coaching and support staff.

1.15pm: Team warm-up

All the team will gather on the field and the fitness trainer will take them through the warm-up and stretches. Each group - bowlers, batsmen - will break off into groups and do more specific warm-ups.

Once this is complete, the team will gather and captain Brendon McCullum will relay what he is going to do if he wins the toss.

2pm: Toss

McCullum will walk out to the pitch with Australian captain Michael Clarke. All the players will mill around watching to see who wins. It's a nervous moment, because the toss can have a large bearing on the outcome of the match and for the bowlers, it's knowing they are going to go straight into the action or whether they will put their feet up for up to four hours.

2.25pm: Game mode

Nothing more is said. There will be no words of inspiration or wisdom from the likes of McCullum or coach Mike Hesson because what needed to be said was done in the days leading up to the match. The preparations are complete - the scouting and game plans are well known - and each player knows what they have to do. As one Black Caps player put it, "it's all about routine and is a lot more relaxed than people realise".