ANDY BICHEL: New Zealand better prepared than Australia

There are many factors at play with both hosts thinking they have a massive chance of winning this tournament, especially on home soil.

Then, when this team starts to perform like they have, they are bound to get instant support. This Saturday will be a huge spectacle. On the other hand, Australia players will not have played in front of a more hostile crowd than this Saturday night. It will be an All Blacks crowd supporting its cricket team. So much is at stake here for the winner as it probably guarantees the number one spot, which is a huge advantage at the back end of this long tournament.

Everyone in the New Zealand squad has really contributed in the tournament so far by participating at some point throughout the three matches.

Anexcellent win against Sri Lanka by 98 runs, followed by the win against Scotland, which produced a solid bowling performance by them. In their last match they made a statement to the rest of the teams, embarrassing England with an eight wickets win with 37.4 overs remaining.

For Australia it has been a little different. Not the perfect preparation perhaps, a solid win against England at the MCG two weeks ago which is a long time in this tournament.

An excellent batting display by the two Victorians, Aaron Finch (135) andGlen Maxwell (66), and the MCG was alight with so much energy in the stands. It’s been a long time since this has happened, I can’t really remember a time maybe Dean Jones and Simon O’Donnell.

I am sure Michael Clarke andShane Watson are a little edgy, as they both want to play. The rained off game against Bangladesh didn’t help both these guys, who would have liked to get sometime in the middle.

After this match they will be up against Afghanistan in Perth, which will be another week away yet. World Cups are always structured like this but you don’t really need games washed off as it can stop momentum.

It should be an exciting night on Saturday, and even in saying all this about the two teams it will be a clean slate, come Saturday afternoon.

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