Stakeless engrossing contest on card as Aussies takes on Kiwis

St George's, Grenada, Apr 19 (UNI) It is going to be more than a pride at stake as defending champion Australia takes on arch rival New Zealand in their last Super Eight league match of the World Cup at the National Stadium here tomorrow.

Though both the teams have qualified for the semi-finals, yet they are in no mood to concede any ground to each other and have vowed to give their best in the match.

Australia, so far, are unbeaten in the tournament and top the points table with 12, while the Black Caps are in second place, just ahead of Sri Lanka on net run rate. And given the nature of competition between them, both will undoubtedly try to land a knock out punch on each other.

The Aussies were disappointed that Sri Lanka did not field in a full-strength team in their last league match as they rested strike bowlers Chaminda Vaas, Lasith Malinga and Muttiah Muralitharan. But Australia's vice-captain and wicket-keeper batsman Adam Gilchrist, does not expect the Kiwis to follow the suit.

''I wouldn't suspect so. I'm sure all their players will be keen to play. We go out to win every game we play and I think New Zealand are of the same mindset,'' he said and recalled that when the teams last met in the Chappell-Hadlee Series in New Zealand earlier this year, the Kiwis had whitewashed the Ausiies 3-0.

''They'll take great confidence from beating us and they played some really impressive cricket in that series. It's a good chance for us to shape up again as we may meet each other again in this competition down the track.'' On paper and statistics, Ponting's men are way ahead of New Zealand, having won 75 of the 108 games they have played against them.

Interestingly, since losing to Pakistan in the 1999 edition of the tournament, the Australians are unbeaten in the World Cup with 26 wins in a row. And New Zealand will have to be at the top of their game to test their opponents, who have been simply unstoppable here.

In every department, the defending champions have stood out.

But in Shane Bond, Kiwi skipper Stephen Fleming has a weapon to trouble the Australians. Bond has traditionally reserved his best for the Aussies and his record against them is far superior to his overall career graph.

So far in the World Cup, Bond has already picked up 12 wickets and every time he has made early breakthroughs for his side.

Moreover, in Scot Atyris, New Zealand has a batsman to cope with the likes of Glenn McGrath, Shaun Tait and the miserly Nathan Bracken, as the all-rounder dominace with the bat here has seen him pushing Matthew Hayden at the top of the highest scorer's list at this World Cup.

Teams: Australia (from): Ricky Ponting (capt), Adam Gilchrist (wk), Matthew Hayden, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Michael Hussey, Stuart Clark, Shane Watson, Brad Hogg, Nathan Bracken, Glenn McGrath, Shaun Tait, Brad Hodge, Bradley Hodge, Mitchell Johnson.

New Zealand(from): Stephen Fleming (capt), James Franklin, Peter Fulton, Scott Styris, Mark Gillespie, Brendon McCullum (wk), Craig McMillan, Harmish Marshall, Chris Martin, Michael Mason, Jacob Oram, Shane Bond, Jeetan Patel, Ross Taylor, Daniel Vettori.

Umpires : Aleem Dar, Asad Rauf.

3rd umpire : Billy Doctrove.

4th umpire : Daryl Harper.

Match referee: Mike Procter.

UNI