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Clarke can’t wait for trans-Tasman final

Mar 27, 2015
Michael Clarke, Steven Smith, Mitchell Johnson and Aaron Finch celebrate the wicket of India's Ravindra Jadeja during the 2015 Cricket World Cup semi-final match. Photo: AAP

Michael Clarke, Steven Smith, Mitchell Johnson and Aaron Finch celebrate the wicket of India's Ravindra Jadeja during the 2015 Cricket World Cup semi-final match. Photo: AAP

Michael Clarke says Sunday’s World Cup final is about a rivalry built on mutual respect.

Tournament co-hosts Australia and New Zealand will square off at the MCG, with both sides out to make history.

Australia – which last night beat India by 95 runs in their semi-final match – failed to reach the knockout phase in 1992, their only other opportunity to win a World Cup on home soil.

New Zealand are playing in their first World Cup final ever.

In one sense, Clarke doesn’t really care.

“I don’t think it matters too much to us who we had to play in the final … it happens to be New Zealand,” Clarke said after his side’s semi-final win over India in Sydney.

In another, the Australia skipper can’t wait to reignite the trans-Tasman rivalry after losing to the Blackcaps in the group stage of the tournament.

“The fact that the two hosting nations are in the final is extremely special,” Clarke said.

“There’s a great mutual respect between both teams.

“We know it’s going to be an extremely tough battle and we’re going to be up for that.

“But off the field, both teams get on really well.”

Clarke described New Zealand as the “form team of the competition”, given they are yet to suffer a defeat.

“They certainly deserve to be in the final. We’re going to have to be at our best to beat them,” he said.

Clarke suggested New Zealand’s greatest strength was the potent new-ball combo of Tim Southee and Trent Boult, who skittled Australia for 151 in their pool clash at Eden Park.

“Their new-ball bowling has been exceptional,” he said.

“We experienced that the game we played against them and I think we’ve seen that throughout the tournament.

“They’ve been able to swing the ball in New Zealand … we’re going to have to make sure we bat well.”

However, Clarke was keen to see how they fare in a foreign land.

“The fact that the conditions are different will certainly help us,” he said.

“We’ve played a fair bit of cricket throughout the summer at the MCG.”

Preview of trans-Tasman World Cup final

FINAL: Australia v New Zealand at MCG on Sunday, March 29

Overall: Played 126; Australia 85, New Zealand 35, NR/abandoned 6
World Cup: Played 9; Australia 6, New Zealand 3
World Cup knockout fixtures: Played 1; Australia 1, New Zealand 0
MCG: Played 19; Australia 14, New Zealand 4, NR/abandoned 1
Australia’s record at MCG: Played 118; won 71, lost 43, tied 1, NR/abandoned 3
Australia’s record in 2015: Played 12; won 10, lost 1, NR/abandoned 1
NZ’s record at MCG: Played 24; won 8, lost 15, NR/abandoned 1
NZ’s record in 2015: Played 17; won 14, lost 2, NR/abandoned 1

Forecast for Sunday: Mostly sunny with patchy morning fog. A top of 23C

Potential Australia XI: David Warner, Aaron Finch, Steve Smith, Michael Clarke (capt), Glenn Maxwell, Shane Watson, James Faulkner, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood

Potential New Zealand XI: Brendon McCullum (capt), Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Grant Elliott, Corey Anderson, Luke Ronchi, Daniel Vettori, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Trent Boult

Notable numbers:

*Australia have lost the toss in six of their past seven completed ODIs against New Zealand at home, but won five of those games

*Steve Smith’s past 12 ODI innings in Australia have produced 812 runs at an average of 81.2 and a strike rate of 96.4

*15 of Trent Boult’s 21 wickets in the tournament have been batsmen No.1, No.2, No.3 or No.4

Australia 

ODI ranking: 1

Record in this tournament: 6 wins, 1 loss, 1 washout

Road to the final: Six-wicket win over Pakistan in quarter-final at Adelaide Oval, 95-run win over India in semi-final at SCG

Form in this tournament: Impressive. A collapse of 8-26 in Auckland was embarrassing and led to their only defeat in the event, but the co-hosts have otherwise excelled as expected. From the moment Michael Clarke won the toss they were in control of their semi-final against India. Will start as favourites after winning their past 13 completed ODIs at home.

Key batsman: Steve Smith. Has excelled in the tournament since being promoted up the order to first drop. When the pressure went up against Pakistan and India in the knockout phase, the right-hander looked back to his best.

Key bowler: Mitchell Starc. The left-armer has taken 20 wickets in the tournament at an unbelievable average of 10.20. Has snared at least two scalps in every one of Australia’s World Cup games.

New Zealand

ODI ranking: 5

Record in this tournament: 8 wins, 0 losses

Road to the final: 143-run win over West Indies in quarter-final at Westpac Stadium, four-wicket win over South Africa in semi-final at Eden Park

Form in this tournament: Outstanding. Undefeated in the group stage, the Blackcaps then dispatched West Indies in a match where Martin Guptill almost outscored the opposition. Rain and a few fielding errors helped their cause in the semi-final, but the way they held their nerves in a tense finish against South Africa was remarkable.

Key batsman: Brendon McCullum. Scored a half-century off just 21 balls when the two sides met in the pool stage. The captain will need to set the tone if his side are to chase down a big total, or post something that will fill Australia with self-doubt.

Key bowler: Trent Boult. The leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 21 scalps. Obliterated Australia in last month’s fixture at Eden Park, dismissing Michael Clarke and four other batsmen in a three-over rampage.

 

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