We are playing good cricket, happy with winning spree: Ponting

St George's, Grenada, Apr 17 (UNI) Australia skipper Ricky Ponting has attributed his side's continuing victory run in the World Cup to a disciplined and focused approach and contribution by all the players.

''We have played some really good cricket throughout the tournament so far. Our new-ball bowling (against Sri Lanka) was outstanding,'' he told newspersons after their seven-wicket victory over the Lankans in the Super Eights match.

''At this moment in the tournament it is all about momentum for us. We've played some good cricket, we've got some good momentum behind us so far and we are looking to carry it through to the finals.'' He praised seamer Nathan Bracken for his performance in the Lanka match, saying he was ''just brilliant''.

''He (Bracken) took early wickets for us and then came back in the middle and used his variations well on a drying wicket.'' Ponting also hailed his batsmen saying ''the good start gave us a platform for the rest of the guys just to chip in around.'' He had a word of praise for Brad Hogg too for his ''terrific form through the tournament'' saying ''He has used his variations very well and a lot of batsmen have struggled to pick them. He is a vital wicket-taker for us in the middle.'' Ponting said his team will take a day or two off and then ''will have a couple of good training days before the New Zealand game here on April 20''.

About his bowlers, Ponting said, ''I thought it was important to bring Shaun Tait back. He was obviously under a bit of pressure in his first five or six overs today. But we took some wickets and there is no better time to get someone through a period like that than with new batsmen in so I gave him a crack at them and he got a couple of wickets so that should be a good confidence booster for him.'' Man-of-the-match Bracken was of the view that it was a good team effort which yielded good dividends.

''I think early on it swung around a little bit, which gave us a bit of an advantage and with the attack we have, everyone is working well together which makes everyone's job a bit easier.

''All the guys are playing well and performing well so we just have to keep that going if we are to keep our place in the squad, which is a good position to be in.'' He said, ''The slower ball with the keeper standing up is something we've worked on, something we've been trying so hopefully we'll get it even better as we go along.'' Andrew Symonds, who shared 106-run undefeated stand with his skipper Ponting, said he was confident of his team's good showing.

''I'm very happy with how we've dealt with Sri Lanka.

It was interesting what they've done (by not playing main bowlers).

''When key players don't play important games, sometimes sides can lose momentum and lose confidence.

It's not the way we would have done it but they are a different team to us.'' He said they were here to win games of cricket and that's what they have done.

''It's nice to play a longer innings. The training facilities we've had the last couple of weeks have been really good so the boys are in pretty good touch. We've hit a lot of balls and enjoyed our training so when Huss (Michael Hussey) and the others do get a go don't be surprised if they do well.

''There probably wasn't a player who didn't contribute something and I think that's a really good sign for us.

Now it will be good to have a bit of a spell and then into a big game against the Kiwis. That'll hopefully put us in good stead as we look towards the semi-finals,'' Symonds said.

UNI