Oct 4, 2009

http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200902/r337432_1531109.jpg

Australia
vs
New Zealand
Match Schedule:
Date: October 5th D/N
Time:12:30 (GMT)
Vanue: SuperSport Park, Centurion

Moving clear in the one-day rankings and reaching a new landmark await Australia if they win the Champions Trophy, but Ricky Ponting says it won't make up for losing the Ashes.

Australia will start a warm favourite to beat New Zealand in Monday's final at SuperSport Park given they have improved every match this tournament.

"We've done everything that we've needed to do to progress to this stage of the tournament, we're happy with the way we've played our one-day cricket the last few weeks," Ponting said.

"It's all about making sure we're ready for the big moments and we certainly were ready for the big moments in the semi-final (win over England on Friday), and we'll make sure we're ready for the big moments tomorrow."

Ponting said a tournament victory would mean Australia would look back on their past five months with significance given the young players they had blooded.

“It doesn't make up anything. The Ashes are done and dusted and we weren't good enough to win that series unfortunately.” –Ricky Ponting Trying to move on

But he admitted nothing could make up for losing the Ashes series 2-1.

"It doesn't make up anything. The Ashes are done and dusted and we weren't good enough to win that series unfortunately," he said.

"We've got a different group of players here now who are focused on one-day cricket and we've got a lot of one-day cricket to play, with the series in England, this series and the games coming up India.

"The focus for us has been one-day cricket over the last few weeks and we'll start worrying about Test cricket again ... when the Australian summer starts.

"But it would be nice to put some icing on the cake at the end of a long five months away from home."

An Australia win would make them the first side to successfully defend the Champions Trophy title, having won this event in India three years ago.

Victory would also mean moving further ahead in the world rankings, in what has largely been a trying year past year given the Test series defeats to India, South Africa and England.

Despite slipping to fourth in the Test rankings, Australia are still No.1 in the shorter form, as their rivals South Africa and India were eliminated at the group stage.

And a win over their trans-Tasman foes would also be a sweet one.

New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori said his side was pleased to have risen to reach the final, but had an "immense desire" to go all the way.

"There's no relief in the camp, it's all about how we're going to win tomorrow as opposed to 'It's great that we've made it'," he said.

New Zealand are also out to make history, by becoming the first nation to win two Champions Trophy titles, and land their biggest triumph since they won this event in Kenya in 2000.

Vettori said the Black Caps were likely to retain the same side.

Meanwhile, Australia have been fined for maintaining a slow over-rate during their nine-wicket victory over England in the semi-finals of the tournament.

In accordance with the ICC Code of Conduct regulations governing over-rate penalties, players are fined five per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, with the captain fined double that amount.

Ponting was fined 20 per cent of his match fee, his teammates half as much.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

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