NZ to welcome back Milne for quarters

Injured paceman Adam Milne is rated as likely to be available for New Zealand's World Cup quarter-final in Wellington next Saturday.

Milne sat out New Zealand's three-wicket win over Bangladesh in Hamilton on Friday with a shoulder injury picked up when he made a diving catch against Afghanistan five days earlier.

Coach Mike Hesson believes the 22-year-old right-armer should be right come next weekend.

"I expect so, but shoulders are funny things," he said.

"He's certainly making good progress."

Hesson said the move not to use Milne's express pace against Bangladesh was more than precautionary.

"He wasn't quite right to play," he said.

"We didn't push it. With a quarter-final in mind and the fact that he's an important part of our side, it just wasn't worth the risk."

Milne's injury meant the Black Caps had to change their line-up for the first time in the tournament, with Mitchell McClenaghan getting the nod ahead of Kyle Mills for the third seamer's spot.

McClenaghan, having his first game in six weeks, proved to be expensive, finishing with 0-68 from his eight overs.

Highlights of New Zealand's win over Bangladesh

The Black Caps acknowledge they might have been a bit untidy in beating Bangladesh, but there's a confidence in the camp as the tournament reaches the knockout stage.

New Zealand were undefeated in the pool stage with their wins coming in different scenarios.

Against Bangladesh, whose score of 7-288 in Hamilton was the biggest any side had put up against them, the Black Caps were presented with a solid chase.

Facing an attack that featured five spinners, they managed to get home with three wickets and seven balls to spare.

Hesson said it was challenging target on a pitch that provided turn.

"To get over the line, with different players standing up, certainly breeds a lot of confidence," he said.

"We're really pleased with the way we're tracking, winning the pool as convincingly as we have."

Skipper Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson, providers of plenty of runs in earlier matches, both fell cheaply at Seddon Park.

However, opener Martin Guptill stepped up with a century, Ross Taylor scored a half-century, Grant Elliott and Corey Anderson produced busy knocks, and Daniel Vettori and Tim Southee landed vital late blows.

While it was "a really good chase", Hesson admitted the ideal situation would have been for the middle order to close it out.

He also felt the Black Caps could have been better in the field and their bowling at the death - when they conceded 104 runs in the last 10 overs - was something to work on.

With the Black Caps' successful run in the tournament, Hesson is aware public expectations have grown from just wanting them to win games.

"We've beaten a lot of teams convincingly and we've been told we should really have a closer match or we'll be underdone," he said.

"Then you win in a close game and, crikey, you haven't played very well, so it's difficult to know what you're supposed to do.

"We'll just focus on the next game and do as well as we can."

Hesson said he had spoken to the likes of All Blacks coach Steve Hansen, part of the 2011 Rugby World Cup-winning coaching team, about the experiences of champion sides.

"I won't go into what he said but we talk pretty regularly," he said.

"We're both aware of the different pressures that you face with a World Cup at home."