Match against New Zealand is important for us : Ponting

St.George's (Grenada), Apr 19 (UNI) Inspite of assuring itself a top spot in the Super Eight table, Australia skipper Ricky Ponting is not willing to concede any ground to his trans-Tasmanian rivals New Zealand in their last league match of the World Cup here tomorrow.

Ponting is not taking New Zealand lightly and is chalking out a strategy to tackle the arch rivals.

The two teams, who have already confirmed their semi-final berths as well as their placings in the Super Eights stage, meet in a dead game here at the National Stadium.

Interestingly some cricket pundits termed the match as being a dress rehearsal for the April 28 final in Barbados, provided Sri Lanka and South Africa does not spoil the party.

''New Zealand are playing well at the moment. They've been playing pretty much one-day cricket for almost 12 months now and have been focusing on this event,'' Australian skipper remarked when asked how he view's his rivals' showing in the World Cup so far.

''They didn't play very well in Australia in the tri-series but we then went there, they played some unbelievable cricket, scored some big runs and chased some big totals down. There's no doubt at the moment they've got a bit of confidence and when they are actually at full strength, which they are pretty close to now, they are a very competitive side,'' he added.

''(Scott) Styris has been good for them so far, Bond's obviously very good and Vettori is always good in these sorts of conditions,'' Ponting said .

Styris has already smashed a hundred and four half-centuries, averaging over a hundred here while pace spearhead Shane Bond has 12 wickets so far.

Regarding Bond, Ponting said, ''At the last World Cup he took 6/23 against us in Port Elizabeth and he got a hat-trick against us this year.

''He's one of those guys, you have to pay the utmost attention to.

''He's very dangerous with the new ball and Fleming uses him as a strike bowler in the middle to try to break partnerships and he generally does that. You certainly have to be right on your game,'' Ponting cautioned.

''He's an unusual sort of bowler in that, if anything, he'll drift the ball back into the right-hander with the new ball and right-arm bowlers don't do that very much around the world and he uses his yorker very well.

''In our team meeting we'll be speaking a lot about the appropriate way to play him early on. We have been going well too, and will be well-prepared,'' Ponting explained.

New Zealand have never made it to the World Cup final despite making it to the semis on five occasions, including this edition of the tournament.

UNI