Intro

South Africa captain AB de Villiers plays down expectations ahead of the Cricket World Cup, which begins on 14 February.

Script:

SOUNDBITE: (English) A.B. de Villiers, South Africa captain (on the subject of tournament favourites):

"I've never been a big fan of building that up too much. We've been the favourites before at a tournament - and it didn't work out for us. Then we went to another tournament - and we weren't the favourites - and it didn't work out for us. So, I'm not really sure if it's a title that deserves a lot of time and a lot of talking about but, look, obviously the Aussies (Australia) are number one in the world at the moment in the shorter format. They're playing at home and it brings a different dimension to the whole thing - and maybe a little bit of pressure. But we're certainly one if the favourites, there is no hiding from that fact. We enjoy being one of the best teams in the world. We've beaten the Aussies not too long ago in Zimbabwe. so, to have that kind of confidence where you can be the best in the world - at a tournament where you can prove it -
gives us a great opportunity."

SOUNDBITE: (English) A.B. de Villiers, South Africa captain (on injuries in the squad and key preparations ahead of the ICC World Cup):

"We've had a couple of niggles, but that all sorted out. All the guys are now 100 per cent fit. Yeah, the key areas in warm-up games, like I said before it's just a warm-up game, is the matter of just spending some time in the field. It's better than a net session. I've heard of some many teams before that have has so many net sessions, that they just get used to playing in the nets - and once they get out in the middle, they feel uncomfortable with not having a net around them. So, with the warm-up game, the main thing for me is getting out there and getting the feel for the ground and the conditions here in New Zealand... just being in the middle and spending some time in the middle"