Minor fitness blips for settled New Zealand eleven

Illness in the New Zealand camp and some concern over Adam Milne's shoulder have created a few issues for the unbeaten co-hosts to ponder ahead of their final group match against Bangladesh in Hamilton.

The coach Mike Hesson said "two or three" of the squad had come down with an unspecified illness the morning after the six-wicket victory against Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Milne's right shoulder was receiving treatment to his AC joint following the diving catch at long-on to finish Afghanistan's innings. Milne, who took 1 for 38 off his ten overs, jarred the shoulder into the ground but Hesson is confident he will be available to face Bangladesh.

However, he also put to bed any further notion of rotation among the squad meaning only injury or illness will force an alteration to the playing XI which has remained unchanged throughout the tournament. By the time they play the quarter-final in Wellington on March 21, New Zealand will only have played two games in three weeks since facing Australia at Eden Park.

"We've got some sickness and if guys have a niggle we won't force it with the gap between games," Hesson said. "But when you've got two games in 21 days we're not going to make it one game in terms of preparation. If guys are fit and still performing they'll get first chance."

The match against Afghanistan was a longer outing than appeared likely when they were 59 for 6 with Daniel Vettori having snared four cheap wickets. However, an 86-run stand between Samiullah Shenwari and Najibullah Zadran meant New Zealand had their longest stint in the field of the tournament.

Milne bowled his full ten for just the second time in the tournament while both he and Corey Anderson had the chance to operate in the closing overs, although not under significant pressure as Afghanistan focused on trying to see out their fifty overs. Brendon McCullum's captaincy was again instructive as he used up Tim Southee and Trent Boult by the 45th over in the all-out quest for wickets while close catchers remained a regular presence.

"It was a pretty thorough performance really. I was really pleased with the effort," Hesson said. "We were pretty proficient in the field and it was pretty good chase. All in all, job done.

"I was surprised Afghanistan didn't go at us a little harder early on because they've got some good strikers. Out of the Associates, they've certainly got the best seam-bowling attack and their batsmen have got a lot of power."

With New Zealand now guaranteed to finish top of their pool, thoughts are turning to whom they will face in the quarter-final in Wellington, the ground where Southee found significant swing to dismantle England with 7 for 33.

They will play whoever finishes fourth in Pool B and after Pakistan's victory over South Africa it is very tight for positions two to four - India, with Ireland and Zimbabwe to play, look safe for top spot. Ireland, despite currently being fourth, face a tough finish to their group fixtures as they also face Pakistan, and with West Indies playing UAE in Napier they could well sneak in on net run rate.

However, there is more interest in the maths from outside the New Zealand squad than within it. "We just go about our work," Hesson said. "In the middle of a World Cup, it's not a matter of thinking about tomorrow; it's a matter of making sure we do not drop the ball and keeping putting in good performances."