Sydney // Skipper Michael Clarke said Australia's experience playing at the Melbourne Cricket Ground will be a major factor in Sunday's World Cup final against New Zealand.
Australia put themselves in line for a fifth World Cup title with an emphatic 95-run semi-final victory over defending champions India in Sydney on Thursday.
New Zealand won a nerve-tingling semi-final against South Africa in Auckland on Tuesday with a six off the penultimate ball to book their first World Cup final appearance after losing all six of their previous semi-finals.
New Zealand downed Australia by one wicket in a sensational finish to their low-scoring pool game in Auckland earlier in the tournament, but Clarke believes it will be different in the final.
New Zealand last played Australia in an ODI at the MCG six years ago and overall have won just four of their 19 ODIs against the Aussies at the ground.
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“I think the fact that the conditions will be different will certainly help us and we’ve played a fair bit of cricket throughout the summer at the MCG as well,” Clarke told reporters after Thursday’s victory.
“Conditions are a lot different to what New Zealand have been playing in New Zealand, but in saying that we will have to play our best cricket to win. New Zealand have been the form team of the competition and they certainly deserve to be in the final.
“There is always that great rivalry between Australia and New Zealand and the fact that the two hosting nations are in the final is extremely special.”
Defeated India skipper MS Dhoni said New Zealand’s biggest obstacle will be dealing with the size of the vast MCG arena after playing all their pool matches on smaller New Zealand grounds.
“In New Zealand you can get away with quite a few mis-timed shots,” he said. “Generally, in New Zealand you get good wickets but when you come to Australia you get a bit of reverse swing and the same time you might get wickets that are slightly two-paced.
“How New Zealand take risks will be something that is very crucial and Australia have that advantage of knowing the wickets well and having three left-arm fast bowlers in their armoury.”
Meanwhile, Dhoni refused to give an indication whether he will retire from one-day cricket.
Dhoni, 33, asked if he had decided to stay or quit, bounced the question back at the media.
“I think you all should do research and whatever you write, the opposite will be the truth,” Dhoni said, without elaborating. “I am not that old, so do your research first.”
Dhoni made a shock retirement from Test cricket in December after the third Test of the four-match series against Australia.
In the immediate aftermath of yesterday’s loss, Dhoni had suggested he would continue to play international cricket at least until the 2016 World Twenty20 tournament in India.
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