Aussies train before Kiwi Cup clash - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Aussies train before Kiwi Cup clash

By Greg Buckle 19/04/2007 05:47:42 AM Comments (0)

Australia will train on Wednesday at Grenada's La Sagesse Cricket Ground in preparation for their final World Cup Super Eights clash on Friday with New Zealand.

Both sides have already qualified for next week's semi-finals, but Friday's game will be a vital one for Australian all-rounder Shane Watson, who is desperate to prove he has recovered from a calf strain to take his place in the team to gain some match conditioning before the semi-finals.

The unbeaten Australia take on fourth-placed South Africa in St Lucia next Wednesday in what is expected to be another classic battle after the two teams tied in their 1999 semi-final, with Steve Waugh's side advancing to the final on a higher ladder position in the Super Sixes stage and then thrashing Pakistan at Lord's in the final.

In next week's other semi, New Zealand play Sri Lanka in Jamaica on Tuesday.

Australian vice-captain Adam Gilchrist says South Africa will have to lift their "World Cup curse" if they are to beat the world champions on April 25.

Captain Graeme Smith's unbeaten 89 led South Africa to a nine-wicket victory over England in Barbados on Tuesday to set up the St Lucia playoff against Ricky Ponting's side.

Australia pumped Smith's men by 83 runs in their Group A match in St Kitts on March 24.

But with fresh faces like young opening batsman AB De Villiers free of the scars of the 1999 and 2003 World Cup fadeouts, there is fresh hope in the South African camp, following their strong performance against England.

The Caribbean World Cup could do with an exciting contest and this one will surely deliver and add another chapter to a "great rivalry", according to Gilchrist.

"Over the years, certainly in my time, some of the greatest matches I've been involved in have been against South Africa," the two-time World Cup winner says.

"There's been ties, there's been record run-chases. It's a great rivalry and I guess that will continue.

"They will be even more determined given what seems to be a bit of a curse at cricket World Cups.

"It's just how you handle that on the day. Only they could say whether it's World Cup pressure.

"They're a very determined group and they've spoken about that the hoodoo no longer exists and that they've got this group of players that don't have those previous scars.

"I'm not sure. I don't adhere too much to all those myths and hoodoo things.

"In the end you deal with pressure on a day-to-day basis so they're a team that knows they have had some success against us.

"But we're confident that in the really big games we feel like we have had some success against them, too."

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