Australia already looking ahead to South Africa match

BASSETERRE, St Kitts, Mar 17 (Reuters) Australia have already started preparing for next Saturday's final World Cup Group A match against South Africa which will decide which team takes two points through to the Super Eights.

The world champions meet the Netherlands at Warner Park tomorrow in a game which neither side can plausibly argue will be anything more than a formality.

They then have five days to plan and prepare for a match against the team who pushed them off the top of the world rankings this year.

''We will focus on tomorrow first and get that out of the way and obviously take note of what South Africa are doing,'' vice-captain Adam Gilchrist told reporters after practice today.

''Our plans and preparations are obviously underway but certainly the focus is on tomorrow.'' Australia defeated Scotland by 203 runs in their opening group match on Wednesday while South Africa demolished the Dutch by 221 runs in a rain-shortened game yesterday.

Gilchrist, who has brought a new dimension to both test and one-day cricket with his free-flowing stroke play, said he did not think Australia necessarily had an advantage of their competitors on the small Caribbean grounds.

''I think most of the top teams have got power hitters,'' he said. ''Most of the grounds are pretty small and the way batters approach the closing overs in one-dayers, there are going to be a lot of sixes hit in the tournament.'' Gilchrist said variety was the key to combating the big hitters in the South Africa side, including Herschelle Gibbs who became the first person to hit six sixes in an over in international cricket against the Dutch.

''You have to hit a good yorker and not be predictable,'' he said. ''I guess that's what teams are striving to do.'' REUTERS PDS PM0135