No sledging against Aussies, says Mills

Kyle Mills maintains that New Zealand will refrain from mentally testing Australia's pros and debutants © Getty Images

Kyle Mills, the New Zealand fast bowler, says that there shall be no premeditated sledging against Australia in the forthcoming Chappell-Hadlee Trophy which starts on December 3.

Mills, who was among the wickets during New Zealand's recent one-day series loss to South Africa, also featured prominently in some visible exchanges with Graeme Smith. He has, however, dismissed any chance of such banter with Australia, a side whose reputation for mentally testing its opponent is well known.

"It's nothing really, it's just verbal banter," he told stuff.co.nz. "It's what happens out there at the time. Emotions get into it and it goes from there. But you've got to control what you control best. Most guys have played enough first-class and international cricket and what goes on the field stays on the field."

Mills even went to the extent of saying that Australia's newbees - Michael Lewis and Stuart Clark, both fast bowlers, and Cameron White, the spin bowling allrounder, will be spared the psychological gibes. "You don't pinpoint a player at the start of the series or the start of the game, it's what happens out there," Mills said. "That's the beauty of cricket, I guess."

Probed to comment on his claims of becoming an allrounder, Mills said that it was still an aspiration - he hopes to bat at No.7 some day - but that he had neglected his batting in recent times. "There're a few allrounders I have to get past first. It's something I'd like to work towards but I just want to keep my bowling as it was in South Africa."

The first of three one-day matches will be played at Eden Park on Saturday.