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'Go for it,' Jones exhorts Kiwis

Ex-New Zealand batting stalwart Andrew Jones says his former team have to bowl faster and be positive if they are to beat Pakistan in Wednesday's World Cup semi-final.

Jones, who featured when New Zealand blazed through to the last four of the 1992 World Cup, has not forgotten the semi-final loss to Pakistan in Auckland. Back then, New Zealand were the top qualifier with Pakistan fourth. This time the roles are reversed.

"It is ironic, but the nice thing about it is that if New Zealand do it right, they can win. And Pakistan will know that," Jones told the Wellington Evening Post.

"It has been really amazing how well New Zealand have done, given the hurdles they have in had in front of them. It is almost like it is meant to happen," he said. "They haven't really fired a lot of shots to get this far."

Jones said Dion Nash and Chris Cairns would both need to bowl faster.

"They...need to hit the splice and give the batsmen less time. In the batting, the players have to believe in themselves and go for it."

Like his teammates from the 1992 campaign, he still shudders at the loss to Pakistan.

"It does frustrate me because we were so dominant throughout the tournament," he said. "We beat everyone. It was one of those tournaments we should have won, yet we didn't even make the final."

This year's New Zealand team is two wins away from a NZ$1.0 million (US$534,000) pay day, thanks to an insurance policy taken out by the sport's national body, New Zealand Cricket.

The tournament's NZ$550,000 first prize would be topped up by a NZ$450,000 bonus from the insurance policy.

Agencies