KEY POINTS:
HOBART - Australia are a more imposing unit now than when they won the cricket World Cup, coach John Bracewell says.
In a blunt assessment of the task facing his players to reclaim the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy here on Thursday, Bracewell conceded something remarkable was required to produce an upset.
Bookmakers agreed, with Australia's TAB Sportsbet yesterday offering $4.20 on New Zealand toppling the $1.20 hot favourites at Bellerive Oval.
Australia hammered the Black Caps by 215 runs in Grenada in their Super Eight match on the way to victory in the World Cup final against Sri Lanka, New Zealand's semifinal conquerors.
Since then, New Zealand have retained their world one-day ranking of three but lost a series 1-2 in South Africa, while Australia remain world No 1 after beating India 4-2 away from home and coping better than expected without the retired paceman Glenn McGrath.
"They're a side that's actually getting better since the World Cup and they played pretty damn well at the World Cup," Bracewell said.
"They haven't gone backwards at all with the retirement of McGrath from that side. They look hungry, they look keen, Ricky Ponting's already said it was about payback for losing last year."
Australia have been a focused unit as they look to add the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy to their bulging cabinet in Melbourne after New Zealand rocked them 3-0 in the February series.
Then, they were without paceman Brett Lee, Ponting and wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist, with all three having made an impact in the past week.
Lee bowled a sharp opening spell to remove Lou Vincent and Brendon McCullum cheaply in Sunday's washout in Sydney, while Ponting and Gilchrist's batting put the Adelaide match beyond doubt.
Australia offered New Zealand some hope yesterday by sending Gilchrist back to Perth for a rest, something coach Tim Nielsen said was pre-arranged to freshen their key man for the India test series.
Brad Haddin, from New South Wales, will take the gloves but the tourists apparently weren't popping the champagne corks last night.
"No, Haddin's a good player. They've got great depth so I don't think it makes a lot of difference at all really," Bracewell said.
"You've got to admire them for what they continue producing. I don't think they lose anything by missing a player for a game. They've got that sort of hunger and depth in their cricket."
Defeat in Sydney would have rendered Thursday's game meaningless and made the leadup an unhappy chore this week.
After nearly nine weeks on the road, largely in South Africa, it was now set up as a grand final and New Zealand would back themselves in a one-off contest.
"Because we're in it, it's a matter of making sure we're fresh for that game. There's certainly not going to be a lack of motivation for that," Bracewell said.
"It's all about freshening up, sharpening up, and making sure our energy levels are up and we've got a bit of a spring in our steps."
Bracewell was hoping for a dry pitch to enable New Zealand to play spinners Daniel Vettori and Jeetan Patel, while Brendon McCullum was expected to play a full part after his quadricep injury and Mathew Sinclair may return.
"Evidence shows they've been using spinners down there a bit in one-day stuff and that may suit us," said Bracewell.
- NZPA
