The guard of honour made of sound

If applause is the exclamation mark of body language, New Zealanders are currently strutting around like this: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. The country is on a cricketing crescendo and little more than 12 hours after their semi-final against South Africa, with emotions still fresh and raw, it reached what felt like its highest point.

"There's the Black Caps," came an excited voice from the departures area at Auckland International on Wednesday afternoon. "It's Daniel Vettori."

Dan-iel Vet-tori, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap. Dan-iel Vet-tori, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap.

The chant from the night before, when Vettori was facing with 12 to get of the final over started up again. It was only one voice this time, not 40,000. Somehow, it sounded just as loud.

And then the applause started again. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The New Zealand squad walked towards passport control under a guard of honour made only of sound. "Well done, guys," came a few voices. "Bring it home, Brendon," said the others and "Yeeeeahhhhhhhhhh." was all the rest could get out as they juggled between clapping and fumbling with their phones to take photos.

The players appeared bashful, even the ones who must have achieved cult status like Brendon McCullum, Ross Taylor and Trent Boult. Taylor became the star of a walking selfie movie when a supporter followed him, holding a device with an outstretched arm and recording all the way. Taylor tried to act cool for the most part and kept his focus on chatting to Grant Elliott, but eventually the blue steel broke and he just grinned.

These scenes were reminders of who the New Zealand cricketers are and who they may become. As Ian Bishop said a few weeks ago about West Indies captain Jason Holder, they are superstars under construction.

They are receiving the kind of attention usually reserved for the All Blacks, and some of it from All Blacks themselves. Ali Williams and Carl Hayman are two of them, who watched the semi-final with South Africa's Bryan Habana in France, where they play for Toulon.

Amazing result for @BLACKCAPS watched the game with fellow kiwi @Carlhayman and our South African mates @BryanHabana sorry lads. #yerright

— Ali Williams (@AliWilliams_) March 24, 2015

From Hong Kong, the South China Morning Post reported that the All Black Sevens packed tennis balls and cricket bats to have a hit after their training run. "Everyone wants to be a cricketer back home these days," their coach Gordon Tietjens said. "The whole country is on a high and it is good to see another sport doing well."

At the Auckland airport, it was more like everyone just wanted to see a cricketer. As the squad descended the escalator to their boarding gate, the applause started again. The fans formed a semi-circle around the Air New Zealand desk and gave it a full blooded !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The players paused before walking down the tunnel to their aircraft. McCullum turned to an elderly lady who was part of the airport staff. "Thank you very much for all your help," he said.

Some of the other players also thanked her. Then they turned to the small crowd and waved at them. With their eyes, they seemed to be photographing all the people photographing them, as though to capture that moment and take it with them over the ditch.

As the last man, inevitably it was Vettori, disappeared onto the walkway, another voice came. "Bring it home," it said. Vettori raised a hand in response. It seemed like a promise that he would do everything he could to to make sure there was a cup in it when he comes back.

So will everyone in New Zealand including a black and white cat at the SPCA, who has become a mascot. So will many people outside of New Zealand, including Graeme Smith. "I wish them all the best in the final on Sunday," he wrote in his column for the ICC.

"Dream big, New Zealand," McCullum has said hundreds of thousands of times on ANZ adverts for the last seven weeks. His words have definitely been taken to heart.