Cricket: Aussies hungry for Black Caps

1.00pm

LONDON - Australia's cricketers are hungry for some action and ravenous to get stuck into New Zealand's one day team at The Oval, captain Ricky Ponting said on Wednesday.

The antipodean rivals meet in a Champions Trophy clash at the Oval on Thursday (9pm NZ time) to decide which side progresses to the semifinals from Group A.

Rain and damp conditions have denied the Australians much match practice leading into the tournament, with a tour of the Netherlands hit and a match against Hampshire washed out, but Ponting insisted his side were ready for their first serious test of the tournament.

"Everybody is ready, everybody is raring to go," Ponting said at the team's base in central London. "They should be as well, because even though we have been denied match play we have trained really hard.

"We are very well prepared and the games we have managed to play, our skills have looked very sharp."

Ponting bemoaned his side's bad luck with the weather so far.

"The rain's followed us around," he smiled. "We had a game against Hampshire which was washed out last week. Our trip to Holland, we had one-and-a-half games instead of three.

"But the guys have stayed very fresh and focused during this period."

Australia were prevented from training at The Oval on Wednesday due to "old wickets" and instead headed off to a club cricket ground in north London for last-minute preparations.

"The training facilities at The Oval weren't good enough for us to use for some reason which was a shame." Ponting said.

"The wickets are pretty old, I think. I don't know what the reason for that is ... maybe the weather. But it is pretty disappointing that we were unable to train there."

While brimming with confidence, Ponting knows New Zealand will be no pushover.

Australia beat the United States by nine wickets in their opening match, New Zealand beat them by 210 runs.

"New Zealand are a good side," Ponting said. "We understand and respect that fact.

"You know, they've won a few one day games lately and, as they say themselves, they lift their game when they play us.

"Their batting line-up is very good. They are a very good one day side and we will have to pay them respect tomorrow.

"But if we can turn up and play something like our best cricket we'll be in good shape."

Australia's run rate against the US was better than New Zealand's so if the match is drawn or washed out, Australia will advance to the last four.

New Zealand, which suffered a 3-0 test series reverse to England in May and June, have won their last 10 completed one-day matches but have lost their past six matches against Australia.

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming said his team must learn from past occasions when New Zealand had their rival "on the ropes" only for them to "keep scrambling out," as in the Super Sixes World Cup match at Port Elizabeth 18 months ago.

New Zealand needed to convert those situations, Fleming said, though he knows it will be tough.

"We're under no illusions -- they've played well against us, like they have against most sides.

"It's going to take 100 overs of good cricket and one or two people are going to have to have a very good day because Australia are a very talented side. They don't have any weaknesses."

- REUTERS