Intro:

New Zealand are determined to improve their World Cup knock-out stage record as they make their final preparations for the quarter final against the West Indies on Saturday (21st March).

Script:

SOUNDBITE (English) Brendon McCullum, New Zealand captain

(on his thoughts on Gayle and his relation off the pitch)

"Very good. We obviously played a few seen seasons together at Kolkata. We spent a lot of time playing against each other over the years as well, and we've had good times off the field too. He's obviously a great character. The game is richer for his experience and his involvement, I think we've seen some of the hands that he's played over a number of years. He's obviously a very destructive player and a real character off the field too. He's a guy which International Cricket is lucky to have".

SOUNDBITE (English) Brendon McCullum, New Zealand captain

(on whether they expects Gayle to play)

"I don't think it changes things too much because we expected him to play anyway, but he's obviously a world class player and destructive on his day. The West Indies team are stacked with match winners, not just Chris but many other guys in their lineup. But we've prepared accordingly, and now it's a matter of us being able to go out there and replicate the game plan which has served us so well over the last little while. If we do that, hopefully we'll be hard to beat regardless whether Chris is playing or not.".

SOUNDBITE (English) Brendon McCullum, New Zealand captain

(about how it is all about the next seven hours after four years of preparation)

"Yeah, I think, in this many game it has a funny, funny way of biting you if you take your eye off the ball. We know what works for us. We need to go out there and make sure we're nice and calm in our mindset, and make sure that we know what's on the line but still be able to execute the skills that have served us so well over a number of games now. In seven hours the game can turn on a knife edge. In horse racing, a big horse racing fan, if we miss the start it doesn't mean we're out of the race. I think the horse has never been better, and we've got every chance in this game to be able to go out there and win even if things aren't a hundred percent. That's something we probably can't say about too many New Zealand teams in the past that's encouraging".