New Zealand's cricketers are drawing inspiration from images of Richie McCaw leading the All Blacks to Rugby World Cup glory as they head into their first home day-night Test against England on Thursday.
Despite some injury concerns, New Zealand short-ball specialist Neil Wagner was focused on performing at the Eden Park fortress where the All Blacks are unbeaten in 40 rugby Tests dating back to 1994.
England quick bowler Chris Broad, meanwhile, believed the first day-night cricket Test on New Zealand soil could be decided in "one mad hour" -- less time than it takes for a rugby match.
England have selection issues as they ponder the workload Ben Stokes can handle with a troublesome back, while New Zealand are sweating on injured senior batsman Ross Taylor and have former Test opener Martin Guptill on stand-by as a middle order option.
The history of day-night Tests, using a pink ball, favours the home side who have won seven of the eight matches played so far. Further troubling England is their recent Test form, having lost the Ashes 4-0 to Australia in December and January.
Eden Park's short boundaries should favour batsmen, but that doesn't worry Wagner who had match figures of eight for 126 when New Zealand beat India at the ground in 2014 and took three wickets in a tense drawn Test against England the previous year.
"I love playing at Eden Park," he said Tuesday. "A lot of guys find it funny, being a rugby field and with quite short dimensions.
- 'You get goosebumps' -
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"But just the history of it, knowing Richie McCaw and those guys ran out there and won a (rugby) World Cup. It's a pretty special place and when you walk out there you get goosebumps."
"The (Eden Park) drop-in pitch generally has been really good but with these pink-ball games you only need a one mad hour and you can break the Test match open."
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